


The Assistant

by KerryAlycias



Category: Scandal (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Boss/Employee Relationship, College Liv, Emotional Baggage, En Route to White House, F/F, F/M, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Political Campaigns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-05-31 15:48:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6476383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KerryAlycias/pseuds/KerryAlycias
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Upon landing her dream job, Olivia Pope also lands under the sights of her boss and Governor, Fitzgerald Grant. Flirtation leads to heat- the deeper Olivia and Fitz fall in love, the more their secrets threaten to destroy them. [En-route to the White House Fitz, Angsty]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

Olivia Pope sat on the edge of her bed in her apartment, staring at her Mac. She’d really been staring at the screen for more than ten minutes; she’d drafted the email more than twenty minutes ago, and she’d spent the last ten minutes proofreading. Olivia’s finger hovered over the ‘send’ button as she tried to work up the nerve to do so. Sighing heavily, Olivia set her computer beside her and stood, leaving her room and slumping into the living room where Abby, her roommate and her boyfriend, Stephen were laying. They were wrapped up in each other, covered in a thick afghan and staring pointedly at the TV where Property Brothers was on.   
“Abby I can’t do it.” Olivia whined, crossing her arms and leaning against the back of the couch.   
“Liv. You have been killing yourself in trying to be qualified for this job, and now you won’t even send your damn resume? Come on. Grow a pair.” Abby urged, barely sitting up to address Liv.   
Liv rolled her eyes, but knew that Abby was right; she’d worked two assistant jobs with several politicians in Washington, in addition to 45 hours of charity outreach as required by Fitzgerald Grant, the governor of California and favorite for the Republican Party’s Presidential nominee. Liv was vying for the position of his personal assistant, and while she knew she was overqualified (she’d made sure of it) she was still very nervous to even make contact with the elusive Fitzgerald. Liv wanted her own PR and marketing firm and working for Governor Grant’s growing campaign almost ensured her a platform to stand on.   
“I’m just nervous, Abby. I’m not allowed to be nervous? This is my whole future in one email. Literally everything about me is on my resume. What if he doesn’t chose me? This is my plan, this is my only plan. If this doesn’t work I’m…” Liv trailed off, trying not to put herself in that headspace; she knew she wouldn’t be able to recover if she thought of every bad thing that could happen.   
“Fucked? Assed out? Up shit’s creek without a paddle?” Stephen suggested, as Liv shot him a look and sighed, returning to her room to grab her Mac. Liv walked back into the living room, Mac in hand and passed it to Abby.   
“Can you send it? If I stare at that screen any longer I’m going to have a stroke.” Abby took Liv’s computer without further complaint and looked up to Liv a last time, her finger hovering as Liv’s had over the ‘send’ button.   
“Are you sure? This can’t be undone.” Abby asked. Liv nodded, hard.   
“I’m sure. Please just send it so my head can stop spinning.”   
Abby pressed the button with a flourish and set Liv’s computer down on the coffee table.   
“Okay. So now that we have stressed for the night, we should go to the bar,” Liv crossed her arms again; she wasn’t a big drinker, but even she could admit that she needed a night to relax.   
“I’m in. I just want to calm the hell down.” Liv declared, just as Abby jumped up.   
“Hell, yes Pope. I’ve been trying to get you out of the house since Memorial Day.” Liv took Abby’s hands in her own and exhaled.   
“I need to calm down and have a drink.” Abby jumped again.   
“Yes, yay, I’m so excited. Are you showering?”   
“Yeah I’ll just hop in really quick. I’ll be ready in fifteen. You and Stephen are going as is?”   
Stephen stood. “I’m ready when you guys are,” Liv shook her head.   
“Of course you are. I’ll be back guys.”   
Liv took her towel into the bathroom and turned on Pandora, her smooth jazz station turning on and immediately soothing Liv’s built up anxiety.   
Shedding her clothing, Liv turned on the shower and stepped in, ensuring that her hair was properly secured in two braids that were high on her head.   
Liv soaped up her washcloth as she went over her resume in her head.   
Did I include my Habitat for Humanity for 2012, 2013, and twice in 2014? Liv bit her lip as she tried to remember, and sighed in relief as she remembered that she had doubled back to include the summer and winter excursions she’d taken to Texas and Honduras last year.   
My internship with Governor Murphy? Were the duties I listed too extensive? Should I have kept the big picture intact or was I correct to break down my responsibilities? Liv shook her head hard and turned, letting the stream of the warm shower water spray across her back.   
“Liv! Get out! We gotta go!” Abby called from the hallway.   
“Okay! I’m getting out in a sec.” Liv finished washing herself and quickly washed her face before shutting the shower off and climbing out, padding back to her room to dress.   
“Liv, stop with this smooth jazz stuff. We’re going out! We need some hype music.” Liv chuckled as Abby turned on her ‘Top 40’s’ radio and Chris Brown came on.   
“Please turn that off, I’m coming!” Liv called, pulling on her favorite black t-shirt that hung off of her just right. She pulled on a pair of skinny jeans that grasped her ankle and a pair of black and white checkered Vans.   
Liv rubbed her Aveeno moisturizer onto her face and spritzed herself with her favorite perfume before exiting her room and flicking off the light. Abby had taken Liv’s phone into the living room and plugged it into their stereo system.   
“Ready,” Liv announced, taking her black fringe satchel that Abby had given her for her 21st birthday and checking that her keys and ID were there.   
Abby raised her eyebrow at Liv’s outfit.   
“Why don’t you wear your black t-shirt dress?” Liv rolled her eyes and took her phone off of the stereo system.   
“Because I’m wearing jeans and I look fine.”   
“Liv.” Abby said sternly.   
“Abby. I’m dressed, and I’m not changing.”   
“At least take your hair down. You look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.”   
It was Liv’s turn to raise her eyebrow. “Somehow, I doubt that very much. Anyway I don’t have time, I’d have to mess around with it for a while for the curls to be just right.”   
“Fine! You want to look 16 tonight, that’s your problem. Just make sure you bring your ID.”   
Liv held her driver’s license up and opened the door, ushering Stephen and Abby out.

xxx

“One more shot,” Abby slurred, tugging on Liv’s arm as they sat at the bar. Liv shook her head as Abby motioned to the bartender, who’d been paying them a little too much attention all night.   
You’ve had enough. Stop! That’s your fourth tequila shot in fifteen minutes!   
Liv screamed to herself, but she found herself taking the shot anyway, tears brimming in her eyes as the alcohol slid down her throat.   
“Do you feel better?” Abby asked, screaming to be heard over the music.   
“No!” Liv yelled back, grateful that while the next day was Friday, she didn’t have any classes.   
“I’m sorry! I thought this would help!” Abby said into Liv’s ear.   
Liv shrugged and stood, unsteadily, as Stephen supported her. To ensure that she was drinking the proper amount, Stephen and Abby had sandwiched Liv between them.   
“You’re lucky you’re so tiny or I would’ve had to let you fall!” Stephen told Liv semi-seriously as she steadied herself and stood straight upward.   
“Thanks,” Liv replied. “I’m going to go to the bathroom, then maybe outside for a minute, I need some air! It’s so hot in here!”  
“Yeah that’s because everyone’s here tonight. Come back and get me when you go outside. I wouldn’t mind some air either.”   
Liv nodded and clambered off to the bathroom, leaning against the wood paneling of the wall as she waited in the line for the bathroom.   
Liv heard her phone ring, but she couldn’t answer it in the chaos of the bar, so she, best she could, forced her way through the drunken crowd and out to the front of the bar.   
“Hello?” Liv answered, pressing her iPhone to her ear and glancing around at the semi-busy street.   
“Hello? Is this Olivia Pope?”   
“Speaking, yes.”   
“Hello this is Governor Grant. I was just reading over your resume and application for my assistant position? I hope I haven’t found you at a disadvantage, it is late.”   
Liv froze, the alcohol making her brain move slowly. Is this really happening? Or am I just hallucinating? Can tequila make you hallucinate?   
“Miss Pope? I must have disturbed you, I’m sorry. I just found you terribly qualified for the position and I wanted to bring you in for an interview tomorrow.”   
Liv blinked and took a deep breath.   
“I’m sorry, Governor. I am just very surprised that you’re personally calling me.”   
“I don’t usually make follow up calls, especially not for scheduling an interview, but as you know, I’m looking for an assistant, and this sort of thing would be one of the numerous responsibilities you… I mean my assistant would be handling.”   
Liv felt her chest flutter at his slip. My dream job! He called me his assistant!   
“I’d be happy, honored to come in for an interview, Governor Grant.”   
“Okay, great. How about we meet tomorrow at 11:30 am tomorrow? My office on Capital Street?”   
“Yes. I know where it is! Thank you so much, sir.”   
“Thank you, Miss Pope. I look forward to meeting you.” Liv hung up her phone, and managed a small jump in her tipsy-ness.   
“You were supposed to come and get me!” Liv jumped and turned as Abby had appeared behind her.   
“Sorry! Governor Grant called me! Just now! I have an interview tomorrow at 11:30!” Abby jumped too, and staggered a little, but retained her excitement nonetheless.   
“I’m so proud of you, Liv!” Abby declared, hugging her around her small waist. “Now let’s go celebrate with another round!”   
Liv giggled. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t. I need to catch a cab home so that I can rest up for tomorrow morning! I have to get up early and wash my hair and make sure I look perfect for tomorrow!”   
Abby stepped back and cocked her head to the side.   
“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” Liv laughed.   
“I’m just trying to look my best, this is the job I’ve wanted my whole life, Abby. I need to look good.”   
“Well, if I’m conscious tomorrow morning, wake me up so I can see you all scrubbed and pretty.” Abby said, tucking a stray ringlet of Liv’s hair behind her ear.   
“Can do. Tell Stephen I said bye.”   
Abby nodded as Liv stepped onto the curb and held out her arm, thankful that she hadn’t had to walk down further to the more populated area of the street.   
Liv instructed the taxi driver to take her to her apartment and leaned back into the seat, remembering forlornly that she had to pee. 

xxx

Liv stared in the mirror, adjusting the neckline of her shift dress, her eyes were bright as she brushed a thin coat of mascara over her top eyelashes. She was planning to wear her only pair of heels that Abby insisted she buy ‘for interviews’ she’d borrowed money from her father in order to purchase the pair that Abby had suggested. She vaguely knew what Loutoutin’s were, but they fit her feet well and were comfortable enough to walk in. Liv twisted her mouth in thought as she tried to decide whether or not she would change her part to a middle one, but she decided in the end that the part and her bang on the left looked best.   
Liv took her heels and smeared on a coat of Chap Stick before heading into Abby’s room barefoot.   
“I’m leaving.” Liv told her, only a few strands of her carrot orange hair peeking from under her comforter.   
“I believe in you,” Liv heard Abby mutter. “I’m just kinda comatose right now.”   
Liv laughed. “Lay off the Tequila. I’ll see you this afternoon after your class which you should go to.”   
“I’ll try to get there.” Abby mumbled into her pillow.   
“I’ll get her to class, Liv.” Stephen assured, flashing Liv a ‘thumbs up’ sign weakly.   
“I hope you do.” Liv giggled. “Good luck.” 

Ten minutes later Liv was on her way, navigating toward Constitution Ave then headed onto the ramp toward Capitol Street.   
Liv parked in the large parking lot and headed toward Governor Grant’s office on foot, officially becoming nervous. She entered the elevator and went up to the seventh floor, entering the reception area of Governor Grant’s floor. A bored brunette sat at the front desk, answering calls with ‘Governor Fitzgerald Grant’s office, please hold’. As Olivia approached her, she perked up only slightly at the promise of human contact.   
“Olivia Pope for Governor Grant.” The brunette glanced at her computer.   
“ID, please?”   
Liv fished her ID out of her wallet and handed it to the woman who verified her identity and handed it back to Liv.   
“Governor Grant will see you now, follow the hallway to the end, the double doors should be open. Knock if they aren’t.”   
Liv nodded and continued down the hallway lined with photo; Liv checked her watch; it was ten to 11:30, she stopped to look at the photos, curious to see what Governor Grant looked like. Liv felt heat on her neck as she realized how little she knew about him; aside from his Philanthropy and platform, the man was a mystery. She’d only seen his office photo, as it was included in the information packet for the job. But, she had to admit to herself that she’d been stuck on the fifth page of the packet since she’d received it, and she’d only glanced at his photo.   
Surveying the photos of Governor Grant, Liv realized how young he was; mid-thirties at the very least. In almost every photo he sported an easygoing smile and perfect oak-brown hair, not a gray hair in sight. Liv turned to look at the other side of the wall.   
Is he married?   
Liv checked his ring finger of his waving left hand and didn’t notice one,   
Maybe he’s gay. Or a recluse. Or… A sociopath. Wait, were sociopaths dangerous or it was just psychopaths?   
“Miss Pope?”   
Liv turned and jumped, seeing Governor Grant, in the flesh standing in his doorway.   
“Oh, you were looking at the photos. Yes, my last assistant was rather… incorrigible. She practically redecorated my entire office. I’ve been meaning to take all these down. They’re obnoxious. People don’t need to see me shaking hands with every politician in Washington, they need to know that I can make things better.”   
Governor Grant looked at the photos a moment longer before turning back to Liv.   
“Would you care to step into my office?”   
Liv nodded, realizing how awkward she was being; she grasped the strap of her bag and straightened up, walking by Governor Grant, observing that he was at least six three. Practically everyone was taller than her, at five two she was accustomed to looking up at people, but for some reason Governor Grant intimidated her, she would be grateful to sit and be eye to eye with him.   
Governor Grant sat down and picked up a black file folder, opening it and looking at Liv curiously.   
“You’re the only applicant out of fifty that I’m interviewing. Do you know why?” Liv blinked once and tried to remember the spiel that she’d rehearsed that morning.   
I am very goal oriented, and I feel as though this position will help launch my own career as a PR rep. I’m also looking to gain experience working in a fast paced environment with multiple responsibilities.   
But as Liv remembered only part of her speech, the words flew away as his icy blue eyes fell on her.   
“Um. Well. I’m very accomplished in humanitarian efforts as well as, um… my internships with numerous influential political figures.”   
He grinned in appreciation and leaned forward, nearly stupefying Liv on the spot. If he was unfairly handsome in photos- which he was, then he was mind-blowingly handsome in person. Liv was barely able to keep her thoughts straight as the handsome Governor started to speak.   
Liv, pay attention! He might be your boss, get a grip!   
“Yes, and no. I’ve chosen to interview you for two reasons. One, you are ridiculously qualified and two, your application stuck out to me, amidst the other forty-nine applicants, you were very interesting. You said something that not one other applicant did. Do you know what that was?”   
Liv shook her head helplessly, trying to think of what she could have possibly said that forty-nine other people hadn’t.   
“I am passionate about everything I do and with that passion comes extreme pride in my work and the image I project as a result of that work.”   
Liv mentally congratulated herself- she’d almost removed that line, as she was convinced she could come off prideful in the wrong way.   
“Your passion is what got you this interview. I need your passion and I need your fresh ideas.”   
Liv smiled. “Does that mean I have the job, Governor Grant?”   
“Please, call me Fitz. We’ll be working together too much to have formalities in the way. And yes, you have the job. What can I call you?”   
“Liv. Call me Liv,”   
“Your full name is Olivia?” Liv nodded.   
“That’s a beautiful name,” Fitz commented, somehow intimidating her and making her feel comforted at the same time.   
“It means olive branch,” Liv blurted, covering her mouth as if she’d said a swear word.  
Fitz laughed and sat back in his chair.   
“I did not know that, actually.”   
Liv forced her hands down from her mouth and tried to breathe normally.   
“Well, Liv. This is very unorthodox, to be interviewed, hired and work all in the same day, but would you be willing to start today? I have a benefits gala tonight, and I’d like you to accompany me so that you can meet some of my staff and familiarize yourself with what I’ll need you to do on a daily basis.”   
“I can definitely start today, what did you need to go over?”   
Fitz stood and strode over to a whiteboard at the far end of his office.   
“First, I’d like to expand my social media presence. My campaign manager has pointed out that I have hardly any presence, aside from Facebook, which I am told doesn’t count. I wanted to start a Twitter, perhaps and Instagram. Are you coherent in these platforms?”   
“Of course, I have a proficiency in the websites. I can create you a Twitter and Instagram that both of us can access. I’ll install the apps on both of our phones and we’ll share a login. Voters will appreciate that you tweet and post on Instagram by yourself, but there will need to be some things that I post for you, so you don’t seem all about business.”   
“I’m impressed, Liv. That’s a great idea to help build at the base with younger voters.”   
“I was also thinking that you could stand up on issues that youth endorse. Gay marriage, transgender rights, police brutality, those sort of things mean a lot to today’s youth. It’s important to take a firm stand on those issues,”   
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to run?” Fitz asked, laughing at Liv’s tenacity and returning to his desk.   
“No, no. Not at all. I just think that you are a great candidate. I know that you can win.”   
Fitz smiled at Liv, locking eyes with her for a long pause, Liv felt her heart beating faster than she was used to.   
Fitz broke the stare, shuffling papers on his desk haphazardly and leaning back in his chair once again. Liv was thankful that he had broken the stare, because she was somehow entranced in him.   
Liv felt her cheeks warming as she glanced up at Fitz, and studied his face as he sifted through his paperwork.   
Liv had never had a boyfriend. She’d never had someone who interested her beyond a physical connection.   
Abby liked to joke that Liv was going to become a nun, but the truth was that Liv wasn’t looking, and no one (up until that moment) had made her sit up and take notice.   
He’s gorgeous. And smart, and intense and my boss and the freaking Governor of California. Who do you think you are, Olivia Pope? He’s not interested in a 21 year old college student. Not when he could have any woman he wants! Get over yourself.   
When Liv had deflated herself to her own satisfaction, she looked back up at Fitz, who finished signing a piece of paper.   
“Well. I will be sending a car for you tonight, near the GW campus, yes?”   
“Yes,” Liv answered.   
“Okay. Tonight at eight. The dress in black tie so you’ll need a ball gown. Do you have a ball gown?”   
Liv blinked at Fitz. “Um. Does my prom dress count?” As soon as the words left her lips, Liv beat herself up internally. As if she needed to remind Fitz just how young she was.   
“I don’t think it will. But don’t worry about it, I’ll buy you one.” Liv immediately felt shame.   
“No, that’s alright. I’ll figure it out. Don’t go to the trouble.”   
“It’s no trouble, Liv. I have the money to buy you a dress.”   
“But I don’t need you to buy me a dress. I’ll figure it out, trust me.”   
“Are you always so feisty?” Fitz countered.   
“Only on my applications.” Fitz smirked at Liv’s cheekiness.   
“Olivia. I will buy you the dress, and charge it to the campaign, if that makes you feel better. The money will not be mine. Let me buy you this dress.”   
“Fine. If it means that much, you can buy me the dress.” Liv replied curtly. Fitz grinned, his lower lip twitching slightly; Liv noticed that he had a freckle on the lower right corner of his lip. She fantasized that she climbed onto his desk and kissed his lips, hard and frenzied. She wondered how the inside of his mouth tasted.   
HE IS YOUR BOSS. CALM DOWN.   
Even as Liv screamed at herself in her head, she couldn’t help but imagine straddling Fitz, tugging on his tie and grasping the hair at the nape of his neck.   
HE IS A GOVERNOR. HE’S YOUR BOSS AND YOU CAN’T HANDLE HIM.   
Liv blinked, trying to keep her mind clear, but her legs shook slightly as she realized how hard she was pressing them together.   
“Are you alright?” Fitz asked. Liv nodded mutely.   
“Yes, I’m good. Did you want me to start working?”   
“Well, your office is adjoined to mine, it’s just through that door. I’ll show you if you’d like. I just wanted to orient you today, which I’ve pretty much done, and after that you’ll be free to go home. We can reconvene officially on Tuesday. By the way, I don’t live here full time, I commute between here and my home state. Once a month I’ll require that you travel with me home to help mobilize the base there, my campaign headquarters are there. My previous assistant was comfortable to stay in a guest room at my home, but if you’d prefer I can provide you with a hotel room nearby.”   
“I’ll be fine to stay in the guest room.” Liv squeaked, already anxious at the thought of spending the night at Fitz’s house.   
Fitz nodded. “Alright. Well that trip is coming up next weekend, actually. If you wouldn’t mind making the necessary travel arrangements. Two tickets for you and me, business class. We’ll be leaving around ten am on Friday and returning by nine am on Monday. Do those times work for you?”   
“Yes, sir. I’ve organized my schedule around this internship, and I’m only taking one other class this term that meets once a week. On Thursdays from eight to ten I am in class, and the rest of the week…”   
“You’re all mine? Great. Well those travel arrangements should be made right away, and I’ll show you to your office.”   
Liv stood just as Fitz did and watched him stride toward the door on the far wall, his long legs making his movements clean and precise.  
Did he really just say that I am all his?   
IT’S A FIGURE OF SPEECH, OLIVIA.   
THAT MAN IS NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR 21 YEAR OLD ASS.   
So why’d he hire me then? He must think I’m at least at little attractive.   
DOUBT IT.   
Liv shook her head, worrying that she was going crazy in arguing with herself.   
“Here it is. I’m afraid it’s not much. The thought behind this room was to give you some space, just because you’ll oftentimes be working elbow-to-elbow with me. It’s a thankless job, I’m afraid.” Fitz admitted, shrugging slightly, a smile playing on his lips.   
Liv looked around at the small room that included a rectangular window, an oak desk and a file cabinet. A Mac Desktop hummed, asleep and a small wastebasket was tucked under the desk.   
“I’m sure you’re wrong.” Liv replied, referring to Fitz’s comment about the job being thankless. “This is my dream job. I can’t wait to work elbow-to-elbow with you.”   
Liv blushed and cleared her throat discretely, mentally kicking herself for kissing ass and being so inappropriate toward Fitz.   
“Well thank you, Olivia.”   
Liv felt the way he said her name in her bones.  
Why hasn’t anyone ever said my name like that?   
“Can I ask you something?” Liv asked, hoping he wouldn’t take offense to her question.   
“Yes, go ahead.” Fitz replied, clearly curious.   
“What happened to your old assistant?”   
Fitz grinned. “She went to law school in Rhode Island. She also said that she wasn’t as committed to the job as she’d once been. It was an amicable split.”   
Liv nodded.   
“I was just wondering.”   
“I am confident that we will work well together,” Fitz replied, leaning against the doorframe. “I can tell that you’re quite a firecracker, and I’m sure that soon enough we’ll be working flawlessly for the greater good.”   
Liv smiled and held out her hand as a gesture of good faith, which Fitz took, nearly covering her small hand with his large one. Liv felt the warmth of his body travel all the way down to her nether region. She took her hand back in surprise and blinked once before stepping back.   
“I’m going to go now, if that’s alright with you?”   
“No problem. I’ll see you tonight? Will you be sure to text me your dress size and favorite color? I think you’d look lovely in yellow.”   
Liv raised an eyebrow.   
“I’ve never really worn yellow. But I guess I could try it.”   
“And your size? Two?” Liv looked down at her body; she’d purposely chosen the shift dress because it didn’t accentuate her shape. She was curvy yet slim, as she’d always been.   
How did he guess my size? Liv wondered.   
“Yes. I’m a two. Sometimes a four, depends on the dress.”   
Fitz nodded, clearly pleased with himself.   
“Well, the dress should arrive around six, I’ll see to that. And I’ll see you tonight, Olivia.”   
“Liv,” Liv corrected, wanting him to stop saying her name in that dangerously sexy way.   
“Liv.” He repeated, smirking yet again.   
Damn. That’s sexy too now. What the hell! Stop being so damn alluring! Take a break!   
Liv wanted to shout at him. Instead, she waved and quickly left his office, wondering how in the hell he’d seduced her so well when he’d barely touched her. 

Liv stepped off of the elevator on her floor and exhaled as she unlocked the door to her apartment. Abby and Stephen were nowhere to be found, but there were breakfast dishes in the sink, which made Liv hope that they’d made it to class after all. Not stopping to check to see if Abby was in her room, Liv marched right to the end of the hall and into her room, closing the door and collapsing against the door, realizing how eventful the past several hours had been. Liv pulled off the shift dress and kicked off the heels. Stretching, she caught her body in her full length mirror and stopped to stare, examining her mostly naked body.   
She’d never really looked at herself fully naked before, she’d never had a reason. But, with the memory of the way Fitz had made her feel, Liv stripped off her bra and matching underwear. Her boobs weren’t perfect, her right was bigger than her left, and her areolas were almost too big. They were borderline, Liv moved on to her tummy, noticing small stretch marks on her left side. Continuing downward, Liv noticed the beauty mark on her left hip bone. Aside from that, her skin was mostly the even shade of brown that she’d come to adore and her ass didn’t jiggle as much as she felt she deserved, but all in all she wasn’t bad looking naked.   
Would Fitz think I look good naked?   
Without giving herself permission to answer that question, Liv pulled her favorite George Washington University sweatshirt on and a pair of boxer briefs that she’d gotten from Walmart to sleep in. Liv reached for her scarf and pulled it on snugly just before falling into an effortless sleep, Fitz already manifesting himself in her dreams.

 

xxx

“Well I’m sorry you didn’t like Senator Ballard. He can be a bit of a showman, but he’s not used to being ignored by a beautiful woman.”   
Fitz joked, a takeout container of Chinese in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other. It was Thursday afternoon, and despite being terribly tired from her three hour class, Liv had rushed over to Fitz’s office, making it there by just after 11:30. After the gala, Fitz was receiving numerous calls of support, and between Liv and his receptionist, whom Liv learned was named Jolie, they were answering the phones nonstop, taking notes and commendations from the donors. Liv had hardly seen Fitz on Tuesday, she’d been in the office, sorting through his previous speeches and archiving them, as well as mapping out his ‘takeover’ of social media on the whiteboard in his office, and on Wednesday they’d been on the road, volunteering at a Boys and Girls club and Fitz’s speaking engagement at a hotel downtown.   
Liv’s head would be spinning if she wasn’t enjoying how much she was learning, and how amazing Fitz was. She’d launched his official Twitter account that morning; @GovFitzGrant and his Instagram; GovFitzGrant. Fitz was more than pleased with Liv’s work ethic, and their conversations were borderline flirtatious. Liv didn’t want to be the one to cross a line, and so far she hadn’t.   
“It’s not that I didn’t like him! He’s just a bit boring. All he wanted to talk about was his initiative on leaner gun laws in the South, like that’s necessary. Trust me, it was best that I tuned that man out. I’d rather him be irritated that I ignored him rather than irritated that I reamed his ass about gun control.” Fitz laughed along with Liv as she picked through the mixed vegetables in her container of food. She fished a piece of bamboo out and looked up to Fitz’s curious gaze.   
“What?” Liv asked, alarmed. “Do I have something on my face?” Fitz shook his head.   
“I’m just wondering how you’re working for me, you know I’m a Republican, right?” Liv shrugged, spearing a piece of broccoli onto her fork.   
“You’re only really a Republican in name, let’s be honest. You haven’t declared that you don’t support gay marriage, you’re heavily against tax breaks for big businesses and you have been working hard to rebuild the California Education system. Maybe you’re a registered Republican, but you bleed blue, my friend.”   
Fitz chuckled, setting his food down and picking up his bottled water and taking a quick swig. “Maybe I bleed purple, ever think of that? I’m not completely Democrat, nor am I completely Republican.”   
“But,” Liv prompted. “If you had to choose.”   
Fitz hesitated for a moment, a gleam in his eye as he picked up his food again, “Probably Democrat,” Fitz admitted.   
“I know,” Liv replied confidently, popping another piece of bamboo into her mouth.   
Fitz squinted at Liv in wonder. “You talk back a lot,” Fitz observed. “You have just the smartest mouth.”   
Liv, who had to fight not to choke on her snow pea, set her food down and took a long swig of water. “Do I?” She managed, after regaining some sort of grip on herself.   
“You do,” Fitz assured. “It’s… both irritating and endearing. I’m not sure how to handle you.” Liv bit her tongue in surprise. “I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” Liv countered, playing his game. Fitz leaned forward, his gaze intense and consuming as Liv fought to remain composed. Her legs were pressing together, the dress she wore today- the last clean dress she had- was almost too short for work. She uncrossed her legs and re-crossed them the other way, adjusting the length of her dress to cover more of her thighs. Despite all this movement her lower half was engaged in, she didn’t break eye contact with Fitz, but blinking slightly, she took a quick glance at the freckle on the edge of his lip and her breathing shallowed.   
“Governor Grant? I have the mayor of Santa Rosa on the phone for you,” Jolie announced, appearing in the door as both Fitz and Liv’s gaze turned at the sudden intrusion.   
“Sorry, was I interrupting?” Jolie asked clearly amused at how dazed Liv must have appeared.   
“Not at all, Jolie. Didn’t you intercom?” Fitz referred to the built in intercom that came equipped with each of the office phones.   
“Twice, sir.” Jolie replied, holding up two fingers. Fitz nodded shortly.   
“Right. Okay. What line?”   
“One, sir.”   
“Thanks Jolie.”   
“No problem, and sir? Could I go on lunch? I need to check on the nanny.”   
“Go ahead, Jolie. Olivia can handle the phones for an hour.”   
Liv nodded in confirmation.  
Jolie smiled shortly and left the doorway. Without further instruction, Liv followed Jolie out to the Receptionist desk, thankful that Jolie had gone and that she didn’t need to engage in awkward conversation about whatever the hell that just was. She was still trying to process it herself and she didn’t need Jolie’s probing.  
Liv typed ‘Governor Grant’ into Google, just for kicks and clicked ‘images’ navigating the numerous pictures on the first page, Liv realized how the nation must see Fitz; a young bachelor. He had no photos with any women, only one family photo with his mother, father and sister, Fiona. They were an attractive family, Liv had to admit.   
Where are the pictures of him with a woman? Surely he’s dated in the last decade! Google has to have some picture with him and a woman!   
“Googling me? I know I’m not interesting enough for that,” Liv jumped and quickly minimized the screen, spinning in her chair, only to find Fitz standing there, smirking.   
“No, I was… just trying to find you a Twitter avi.”   
Fitz nodded in mock understanding. “Of course. How is my Twitter doing?”   
Liv pulled her phone from her dress pocket and opened the Twitter app. “Nine hundred thousand in under four hours? I’d say that’s a record,” Liv commended.   
“And Instagram is nearly the same, just shy of nine hundred thousand.”   
“Impressive. I need to start tweeting, then. And instagramming. You need to help me look interesting.” Liv shrugged, looking up at him. She couldn’t help but sweep her eyes over the apex of his pants.   
“I don’t think you need my help for that. You’re already pretty interesting.”   
Fitz leaned down, pushing his hands on top of the chair’s arms. “Oh yeah?” Fitz inquired, so close to Liv now that she could almost reach forward and kiss him.   
“Yeah, Mr. Purple.” Liv teased. Fitz smiled despite himself and stood back up straight.   
“Anyway. Are you ready for California tomorrow?” Liv stood, pocketing her phone again. Fitz led her back down the hallway and back to her seat in front of his desk. Fitz plopped back down in his chair and took his container of food back into his hands.  
“Absolutely, I’m already packed. I’ve only been once.”   
“Well then it’s my job to get you acquainted with the general area. I’ll try to point stuff out when we’re flying over. I always love flying over the desert at night, there’s nothing but pitch darkness, until you stumble on Vegas, which in comparison to the rest of the desert is just a blimp. You’ll love it.”   
“And I noticed you had me book the tickets for LAX and not Sacramento.” Liv commented, remembering how Fitz corrected her before he dashed out of office on Tuesday.   
“Yes, I don’t live in the Governor’s Mansion. Too showy. I prefer my house in the hills. It’s reclusive, but it’s got this breathtaking view. We’ll be there Friday through Saturday afternoon, then we’ll be flying up to Sacramento, I live in South Land Park. I get so much flack for it, but it’s bad enough to own one half a million dollar home, I won’t own two.”   
Liv nodded, already imagining how much jet setting Fitz had to do to keep things at bay both in Washington and in California.   
“Ah, I miss the days when I was just a Governor and I wasn’t expected to run like a chicken with its head cut off from Washington to California.”   
Liv laughed, trying to bite back the question she’d been burning to ask. “Do you really want to be President?”   
Fitz shrugged noncommittally.   
“I want to make a difference. I want to help people. If I get to do that, I’d love to be President.”   
Again, Liv tried to hold back her tongue, but she could almost hear Fitz asking for her opinion, so she gave in.   
“But the job is so much more than that. You could help people by getting down in the trenches with them, and getting on their level. All they want is for someone who can change things to understand them. The average person doesn’t care about what initiatives are being started in Washington. What they care about is that their child’s school is cutting music and art and gym. You need to get down with people, and see where they are and what they care about. And once you know that, you can go from there.”   
Fitz leaned back in his chair, once again stupefied.   
“That’s it,” Fitz declared, “You’re running for public office.” Liv rolled her eyes.   
“Very funny. But I’m serious. If you meet people at their level, and see what they see every day, you’ll understand how to help them better.”   
“You’re right.” Fitz said. “I don’t know why I’m always so surprised, I should know by now. It’s only been a week, but you haven’t been wrong yet.”   
Liv sat back in her own chair triumphantly.   
“How’s that for smart mouth?” Liv asked, biting her lip quickly. Fitz grinned at Liv before looking away.   
“You’d better get home, and get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”   
“Will do, sir.” Liv replied, leaving her container of food on the edge of Fitz’s desk. “What time is the car picking me up?”   
Fitz tapped his computer awake and leaned back as he read. “The car and I will be there at eight o’clock sharp. I emailed you the itinerary. To my knowledge this is the most up to date one. But they keep changing it. I’ll text you if there are any changes before I see you tomorrow.”   
Liv clapped.   
“You’re quite the texter now,” She observed. Fitz adjusted his tie absentmindedly.   
“Yes, it’s clearly necessary to keep up with you. Well that and email.”   
“But texting is quicker,” Liv reminded.   
“Yes, as I’ve gathered.” Fitz chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his laugh. His top button was undone and Fitz had just loosened his tie. Liv took her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door.   
“Text me when you’re outside tomorrow,” Liv called. Fitz smiled, he was twirling a pen around with his long fingers.   
“I will. Sweet dreams, Olivia.” 

xxx

Liv watched Fitz navigate the winding Mullholland Drive, trying not to bite her inner cheek too hard. She couldn’t help it, the SUV Liv had rented for the two days they were going to be in LA was wide and clearly not made for the narrow winding and anxiety inducing roadways.   
“Can you please calm down?” Fitz asked, his voice trying to sooth Liv.   
“I’m sorry. We’re just on top of a damn mountain, in a huge chunk of metal. I’m worried we’re going to fall off of said mountain. Call me crazy.”   
“I will, and I’ll also call you overcautious. I live here, remember? I could drive a tank up these roads and I’d get us up to the top safely. I’m just about two minutes away. See? Up over there?” Liv nodded, she did see. She tried to relax as Fitz pulled up to a gate and typed in a pass code that she couldn’t see.   
“Home sweet home,” Fitz said soothingly. Liv exhaled as they drove up the slightly inclined driveway.   
“Care for a drink before we pass out?” Fitz suggested, dropping their bags in the entrance hall and entering the living room, that led to the dining room and finally the kitchen, where a bar and wine cooler were.   
“I wouldn’t mind a little wine. I need to unwind after that trying journey up the mountain.”   
Liv took the glass of a tinged pink wine that Fitz handed her. Liv took a tentative sip and the cool liquid eased down her throat like water, it was very smooth.   
“And what’ll you be having?” Liv inquired as Fitz answered her question, pulling out a crystal bottle of amber liquid.   
“Scotch has always been my thing, for some unknown reason. I can’t seem to lose my taste for it.”   
Liv watched as Fitz poured a half a crystal tumbler for himself.   
“Can I have one?” Liv asked, motioning to the Scotch.   
Fitz looked at Liv skeptically. “You drink Scotch?”   
“No, not really. I’ve had it before, but it was cheap and it wasn’t good at all, I figure this will be an upgrade.”   
Fitz poured Liv the same amount he’d poured himself and watched as Liv took a sip,   
“Well?” Fitz asked,   
“It’s good, a definite improvement, Mr. Purple.”   
Fitz laughed and drained his tumbler. Liv did the same, feeling the effects of the ridiculously expensive liquor and wine going to her head almost immediately.   
She was feeling brave now, and feeling brave wasn’t good.   
I’m alone with Fitz. We could do anything right now, No one would walk in. I could kiss him right here.   
Liv swallowed, her throat thick with excitement.   
We could have sex right here. There are no rules.  
“So I keep wondering why being my assistant is your dream job,” Fitz implored, pouring himself and Liv another half a tumbler each.   
“Not only do I admire your… platform and overall charisma… but I also am looking for this job to give me opportunities in my own field. PR and marketing is what I’m interested in doing, not politics. But this job required being able to build a social media base as well as helping with early campaigning so…”   
“It’s right up your alley.” Fitz finished.   
Liv nodded. “Exactly. You’re right up my alley. You help me open so many doors.”   
Fitz smiled thoughtfully.   
“Well, I’m happy to do that. You’re such a beautiful, talented, witty and sharp toothed woman. I have no doubt that you’ll go far. With or without me.”   
Liv blushed, as the fact that he’d just complimented her so generously registered in her brain.   
I’m losing my bravery. Liv thought panicking as she raised her glass to Fitz, noticing that he hadn’t drank his Scotch.   
“To opportunity.” Liv toasted.   
“To opportunity,” Fitz agreed, taking the amber liquid in a shot fashion.   
Liv leaned against one of the barstools and glanced over at Fitz, feeling the warm and happy glow of being tipsy wash over her.   
“I might be feeling a little good,” Liv confessed, laughing sheepishly. Fitz smiled at her.   
“Me too. This Scotch must have been gaining strength or something. Maybe we should call it a night.”   
Liv felt her bravery surging through her as she took a step forward, toward Fitz. “Really? Why?”   
Fitz looked up at Liv, his engaging blue eyes pulling Liv in.   
“Because I’m feeling like I’m going to cross a line. I need to go to my bed and you need to go to yours.”   
Liv scooted closer, her hand brushing against his that was holding the tumbler.   
“What if I want you to cross the line?” Liv asked, her voice low and sultry.   
Fitz couldn’t help but brush his fingers against Liv’s, obliging her contact.   
“That… would still be wrong. We both want to. Which means we shouldn’t. We should go to our own beds now.”   
“Fitz.” Liv said his name like it was her own breath. He stood, coming to stand in front of her, his muscular chest at her eyelevel.   
“Do you still want us to go to bed separately?”   
Fitz pushed his hands up to cradle Liv’s face carefully, as if he was afraid she might break.   
“Yes. I do. Please. Can we please go to bed? You go to yours, I go to mine.”   
Liv shook her head slowly, as she pressed her hands against the thin fabric of the t-shirt he’d changed into at the airport.   
“No.”   
Fitz wrapped his arms around Liv in that moment, cupping her ass and lifting her up so that they were eye to eye.   
“You said no?” Fitz asked, his eyes blazing, the cool blue now changed. He was no longer calm, his expression was sweltering, and Liv clung to him, her breath cascading over his face as her heartbeat raced. She grasped the back of his neck securely before whispering.   
“Yes, I said no.”   
“Why did you say no, Olivia?”   
Liv blinked, her eyelashes brushing against his cheek.   
“Because I can, that’s why. No. You can’t go to bed. You don’t get to go to bed. Kiss me.”   
Fitz squeezed her ass in his hands as her lips drifted down, her lower lip grazing the edge of his mouth.   
“No,” Fitz replied, gritting his teeth.   
“I’m not going to kiss you until you’re begging,” He promised. “But I will take you to bed.”   
And with that, he carried Liv upstairs to his room, the tumblers of Scotch long since forgotten.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot Sex, Cold Wine (aka, Fitz & Liv consummate their situation-ship); Short, but sweet.

Liv kissed Fitz’s cheek softly as he carried her upstairs, his hold on her ass flaring up tingles in the most intimate part of her body. At the top of the stairs, there were several doors, but Fitz didn’t stop, he carried her down the long hallway that let way to a singular door. Fitz pushed Liv against it roughly, causing her arousal to spill over as he kissed her neck softly, Liv felt the action in her groin and groaned, arching her back in his hands.   
“Don’t move,” Fitz ordered huskily, dragging his teeth along her neck, and biting ever so slightly as he went.   
Liv did her best to allow Fitz full access to her body, but it all felt so good. At Fitz’s firm kneading of her ass, Liv leaned onto his shoulder and bit him, trying to release some of the pleasure and aggression she was feeling.   
He hasn’t even undressed you yet! Maybe you can’t handle him.   
Liv pushed those nagging thoughts from her mind as Fitz somehow opened his bedroom door.   
“Are you sure?” Fitz asked, as he carried her into his bedroom. Liv pulled back from her resting place on Fitz’s shoulder and glanced at his handsome face etched in moonlight.   
Am I sure?   
She remembered the first time someone had asked her that. She hadn’t felt a fraction of the feelings for him that she felt for Fitz. And he hadn’t been gentle, he hadn’t known how to balance out the pain with pleasure. Liv remembered seeing red and knowing that she’d made a mistake.   
Am I ready?   
Michael was his name, Liv thought. And she could remember his smile and how she thought she liked him, and once they were finished, she realized that she hadn’t, not really. Michael was her first, and she hated that he seemed to be standing there, in the room with her and Fitz. She’d held on to Michael and his influence for too long. She’d been hiding from intimacy for too long.  
I want Fitz. Liv told herself, as she stroked his face.   
Liv nodded slowly and deliberately as Fitz leaned forward, keeping her eye contact and taking her lower lip in his teeth, pulling seductively and not breaking his eye contact. Liv moaned as he released her lip and kissed it ever so slightly before smirking at her in fascination.   
How did he remain so composed when he was unraveling her at the seams?   
“Take off your clothes.”   
Liv blinked, her reactions slow. She’d opted for a pair of tights and a black shirt for the flight, so removing her t-shirt was quick work.   
Fitz admired her semi-naked body and kissed her collarbone, lingering at the sensitive spot for a moment before carrying her over to the bed and dropping her, letting her land on the soft bed. Liv sat up on her elbows, wondering what Fitz was doing,   
He’s watching me. Liv realized, seeing Fitz standing close to the bed, one of his fingers stroked his lower lip as he looked at her hungrily. Liv was clueless and way past turned on.   
Just touch me! Liv screamed to Fitz in her head.   
When Liv didn’t move, Fitz leaned down over her and kissed her forehead.   
Everywhere but my lips! I hate this! Liv thought.   
“Take. Off. Your. Clothes,” Fitz ordered again, his eyes twinkling as he leaned back, kneeling this time so that he was eyelevel with Liv.   
Liv swallowed, her fingers shaky as she reached down to pull her sneakers and socks off, and Fitz was smirking at her haphazard undressing job.   
Is he laughing at me? Maybe I’m not doing it right? Is there a wrong way to take off your clothes?   
Fitz didn’t move as Liv sat up to pull off her tights and rolled slightly, trying to pull them off her leg.   
Fitz laughed and climbed onto the bed as Liv tossed her tights to the side.   
“Will you kiss me now?” Liv asked, her eyes large and begging. Fitz shook his head after careful evaluation, and tucked her hair behind her ear as he whispered in her ear.   
“I want you shaking, I want you to not be able take anymore. And when you can’t take anymore, I’m going to make you scream, and once you’re screaming, once you’re begging, then I’ll kiss you.”   
Liv could feel her legs shaking already.   
Well that wasn’t too hard!   
“Can you do that?” Liv asked in a small voice. Fitz kissed her shoulder and swiftly undid her bra, freeing her breasts.   
“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Fitz replied, pulling Liv so that she was laying in between his legs. Liv felt her heart pounding so hard, and her vision was cloudy, she was so aroused that Fitz could have breathed on her the right way and she would erupt in an orgasm, but she held her breath as he slowly pulled down her panties, following the thin fabric all the way down her legs. Parting her legs slightly, Fitz bypassed her throbbing center completely and instead took up residence at her neck, his tongue swirled slowly, his bites were almost painful, but his tongue swirls helped create the most mind-blowing sensation, Liv felt her juices running down her thigh as her eyes rolled back in her head. In that moment, Fitz dragged his hand along the side of her naked body, his hand leaving goosebumps in its wake. Liv shivered, causing her arousal to heighten as Fitz’s hand pulled up her left thigh.   
He’s so close, Liv realized, trying to keep her breathing even. Liv wanted him to touch her so much, she just wanted relief, but he must have realized this, as he dropped her leg and pressed both of his hands to grasp the sides of her neck.   
“Please,” Liv exhaled, she felt her heart thumping uncontrollably as her muscles tightened deep inside her.   
Fitz ignored her as he left her neck and continued to trail kisses to her collarbone, Liv squirmed under him, her arousal building. She wanted to come so badly, but Fitz was clearly all about taking his time.   
He reached her breasts and his trail of kisses ceased at her left nipple, finally giving Liv some relief as his mouth closed, sucking softly. Liv arched her back, giving Fitz more access to her breast as he slid his right arm under her back.   
Liv felt her orgasm building, her entire body was flush and she shook her head in disbelief as Fitz nibbled down on her nipple, sending another shot of pleasure to her center.   
“Please,” Liv whimpered in her smallest voice as Fitz’s tongue swirled on her nipple once again.   
“Fitz.” Liv moaned, her hands burying in his mess of hair. Fitz looked up, her nipple still in his mouth.   
“I don’t want to come without you kissing me. Please,” Fitz paused a moment and released her nipple, kissing up her cleavage and finally arriving at her mouth. Liv wrapped her legs around his waist and stared at him, then his lips as he looked back at her, losing himself in her eyes.   
Without waiting another moment, Liv pulled him down onto her lips, his arm tightening around her small waist as he lost his control at her mouth. Liv deepened the kiss, feeling him sink into her as her arms clawed at his clothing.   
Pulling away from his lips, Liv noticed the unhinged look in his eye, he started to lean into her lips again, but Liv took hold of the sides of his head seriously, biting his lip.   
Releasing it, Liv smirked. “Take off your clothes,”   
Fitz smiled at her dreamily and began unbuttoning his shirt with one hand. As soon as his shirt was shed, Liv tugged at the button of his jeans, feeling his member pressing against her bundle of nerves.   
Fitz pulled off his jeans and boxer briefs, finally their naked bodies were pressed against each other. Fitz returned to Liv’s lips, kissing her slowly and breathily.   
“Are you sure?” Fitz asked again, his shaft positioned at her entrance.   
Instead of answering, Liv reached down and pushed Fitz into her. She felt her walls automatically clench his impressive size as she squirmed at the slight pain she felt.   
Why am I scared? Liv asked herself, as she wrapped her legs around Fitz’s waist, and stared up at him. She felt vulnerable and overwhelmed as he began to move inside her, his teeth gritted. Fitz kissed her lips as he settled into a rhythm; sliding into her completely and pulling almost completely out of her.   
Liv wrapped her arms around his back and anchored him to her just as her legs were. She bit his shoulder again, hanging on this time as Fitz picked up speed, her wetness coating him with each new stroke. Fitz twisted his hips and Liv felt the action hit her wall, she shrieked her orgasm reaching a peak as she met his strokes. He hit the spot again as Liv’s hips met his.   
She was close, she could feel the tightening of her muscles around Fitz’s shaft as he hit the spot again.   
“Oh,” Liv moaned, her hip movements frenzying. She was close, so close. Fitz felt her walls tightening around him as Liv’s legs squeezed him tighter too. Her entire body was flush, and she could feel the wet scraping of his mouth against her collarbone as he reached between their bodies and roamed in her slick folds.   
“FUCK.” Liv yelled, her orgasm hitting her so hard that she felt out of breath, her nails dug into his back as the intense pulses over took her body, her pussy muscles clenched Fitz’s shaft, becoming more undone as he continued his slow and deliberate strokes. Liv still clung to him as he pulled his fingers away from her wetness. Liv felt her juices running down her leg as he slid out of her and dropped down to her throbbing center.   
“Fitz, what are you-“ Liv started to ask, knowing full well what his intentions were as he grabbed her thighs and pulled her down toward the edge of the bed. With one wicked look, Fitz buried his face in between her thighs, tasting her orgasm on his tongue and exploring her throbbing bundle. “Don’t, please. I can’t again.”   
The only indication that Liv could see that he’d heard her was the slight rising of his eyebrow, as if he was confirming that he accepted the challenge. Liv gripped the bed, her languished muscles tightening again as he sucked on her most sensitive folds. Liv felt tears brimming at how much pleasure she felt in that moment, every movement of his tongue isolated and building her back up.   
She couldn’t take anymore, his teasing had driven her to a state of sexual frustration, and now, as his tongue delved into her entrance, she was feeling everything, all at once. He nibbled one of her folds slightly, causing Liv to jerk slightly from his grasp, but Fitz held her down, not wanting her to miss one tongue lashing.   
He’s too good at this. Liv realized as she felt her orgasm coming over her body, she was going to come then die.   
Can you die from an orgasm? Liv wondered as he sucked hard on her folds, dipping a finger into her pussy, her entire body flared as she came again, he continued to suck her as she came undone again, gripping the comforter hard as she cried out his name. Tears streaked her face as Fitz released her legs and raised up between her thighs. She watched him approach her through hooded, tired eyes.   
Fitz grinned devilishly at his work as he kissed her, letting her taste herself.   
“Tell me how you taste,” Fitz requested, moaning the words into her mouth as he slipped back inside her. Liv clutched him again, unable to fathom coming again.   
“Good,” Liv murmured, moving with Fitz.   
“Do you want to come again, baby?” He asked, lifting her leg over his shoulder.   
Liv whimpered incoherently, already feeling her release building.   
“I…” Liv looked up at Fitz as he was admiring her exhausted lovemaking skills.   
“I don’t know if I can,” Liv finally answered. Fitz grinned and stooped over to kiss her, and lifted her to straddle him.   
FUCK! Liv yelled in her head. It’s so much deeper this way.   
Fitz buried himself inside her. “Just hold me baby,” said Fitz softly, stroking her hair as he lifted her into his strokes.   
“I t-think…” Liv managed, as she burst around his strokes, her body was tired, but she bit his shoulder in relief as he pulled out of her and came on Liv’s stomach, she looked at his unsheathed cock in wonder.   
As he laid her down carefully, Liv felt herself sinking into the bed, the comforter was sticky with sweat and Liv was lying in the middle of her own (presumably) wet spot, though she had no energy to roll over.   
Fitz returned a moment later with a wipe, he carefully wiped Liv down and sat beside her, lifting her into his arms.   
“Are you okay?” He asked, smoothing her wayward hair.   
Liv nodded, barely coherent as he stood, carrying her baby doll style into the master ensuite.   
“We’ll shower, then we can go to bed,” Fitz assured, tying Liv’s hair up into a bun and turning on the shower.   
Liv held out her arms for him, finally able to muster the strength. Fitz picked her up again.   
“Hi,” She said, kissing him freely for the first time.   
“Hi,” He replied, once she’d pulled back, a smile playing on his lips.   
“What happens now?” Liv asked, the question partially serious as she stared into his eyes.   
“What do you want to happen?” Fitz countered.   
Liv grinned and threw open the shower curtain.   
“Hold that thought,” Liv replied, as Fitz carried her the shower.


	3. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Morning After (tw: non cannon BS ahead) Some major plot points here.

Liv sat across the table from Fitz, fidgeting in her chair slightly as she haphazardly pushed her eggs around with her fork. Liv looked up at Fitz, once again realizing that he wasn’t making eye contact with her. Liv growled and dropped her fork.   
“This is weird.”   
Liv told him, eyeing him critically. Fitz smirked and set down the stack of papers he was holding.   
“I’m sorry. They sent me about three drafts of the speech I’m supposed to be giving later today and I’m just trying to make out which I’m supposed to say.”   
Liv rolled her eyes.   
“You know what I’m talking about. This is weird. You just…”   
Liv glanced around the restaurant, hoping no one was within ear shot. Thankfully, the tables were a tasteful distance apart.   
“Fucked me into oblivion last night and now we’re having a pleasant breakfast? Like nothing happened? This is weird, Fitz.”   
Liv could almost feel his breath at her neck, his moans in her ear, the unhinged man that had made her come so hard that she’d nearly forgotten where she was. That man, that feral, animalistic man was not the pristinely dressed studious Washington-type that sat in front of her. She narrowed her eyes.   
Does he have a stunt double?   
Fitz raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, his hand reaching to stroke the bottom of his lip.   
“Come here,”   
Fitz ordered, his eyes burning with sudden passion.   
If he does have a stunt double, that switch was impressive.   
Liv shook her head, the sore muscles of her lower half tightening automatically.   
“No, Fitz. You can’t use your fingers or mouth to get your way out of this,”   
Liv countered, crossing her leg tightly, and squeezing them together, trying to isolate the burgeoning heat between her thighs.   
Yes he can.   
“I think we both know I can,”   
A smile tugged at Liv’s lips as Fitz’s wicked smile was too much to overcome with seriousness, it was almost as if he knew how little faith she had in her willpower.   
They both knew that Liv’s body sang under Fitz’s fingers, and that even the most innocuous touch from him sent her into a frenzy. It was as if her skin was constantly waiting for his touch, he could distract her with a glance, and she disliked the hold he had on her, almost as much as she liked it.   
“I know you can.” Liv conceded, “But I know you won’t.”   
Fitz’s grin broke, and he exhaled slightly, his eyes meeting Liv’s again.   
“Okay, shoot.”   
“Fitz. We… can’t just pretend that this didn’t happen. You’re my boss and we work closely together, as I’m sure you’ll recall. We can’t be in limbo.”   
Fitz clearly wasn’t one for serious discussions.   
It’s like there are two of him- the Fitz who fucks me and the Fitz who’s my boss. How can he separate things like that? Is it that easy for him to fuck me? Was it really that simple for him? 

Liv shook off her burgeoning insecurities. Maybe she’d missed the mark in trying to decide what kind of person Fitz was. She’d considered that he could be a philanderer, which was clearly not the case, a sociopath, which seemed unlikely, and she even doubted that he was a sex addict. What Liv had arrived at, the most likely conclusion, was that Fitz was probably just a bachelor. Google had told Liv everything.   
And Google does not lie.   
He hadn’t mentioned being involved with anyone, and though Liv had gotten questions following his speech the previous week about his family values personally and politically, Fitz had dodged the questions.   
Are you dating anyone?   
Do you see yourself married before the Presidential primary?   
Do kids fall into the five year plan you discussed?   
How can you speak on family values when you don’t have a family of your own?   
Fitz had told Liv that family questions were a hard limit, but his Republican donors seemed to put an unnecessary emphasis on family.   
Liv thought of a conversation they’d had following a particularly difficult round of donor questions. 

“Fitz, you have to admit that we still live in a conservative country. There has never been a modern president who has been a bachelor. It’s not safe. I hate it, I do but you need to give them something that shows that you have roots or they won’t trust you.”   
Fitz had raised an eyebrow at Liv’s forwardness and set down his pen, burying his face in his hands. When he looked back up at her, he was a million miles away, and she could tell. His eyes were tired.   
“Liv. All I have to do is be good at my job and do what I say I will. Then they’ll trust me.”   
Liv had rolled her eyes and sat back, resigned; Fitz’s personal life seemed to be guarded like Fort Knox.   
“IF they ever let you into office, Fitz. You have to get the job to do the job.” 

So, despite her tugging apprehension, Liv soldiered on and stared Fitz down until he cleared his throat and motioned to the server. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to know what Fitz’s secret was, but she knew that it was inevitable.   
Their server, Lynn as her cheery nameplate read, had been ogling Fitz since they’d arrived in the restaurant. Liv was impartial to breakfast foods, but it had been Fitz’s idea to pull them from bed. She hadn’t needed to convince him that some morning sex was in order, and once she was thoroughly worn out, and wanting for sleep, Fitz had corralled them into the shower and toward one of the little café’s that he frequented when in town.   
Lynn approached the table, eager now that she’d been beckoned.   
“How are you doing, Governor?”  
Lynn tested, grinning at Fitz as if she knew a secret. Liv rolled her eyes at Lynn’s flirtation and sipped her orange juice to keep herself busy.   
“Just fine. Could we have the check?”   
Fitz requested, keeping his eyes on Liv and her apparent irritation.   
“Of course. Do you need me to split up your entrees?”   
Lynn motioned to Liv’s half eaten spinach, Brussel sprout, ham, and mozzarella omelet. Fitz had suggested the omelet, and Liv wasn’t in any position to argue. She preferred dinner to breakfast, though she could recall sitting at the breakfast table with her little sister, Indi. They’d each had a stack of pancakes. Indi had always been the loud one, and while Liv wasn’t exactly quiet, she was silent when it came to the important things. Liv and Indi had a standing dinner date every third Tuesday of the month. Liv almost wanted to fast forward time, so that she could talk to Indi about Fitz and get her opinion.   
Liv snapped back to reality to notice Fitz’s almost scowl in Lynn’s direction.   
“No, we’re together. Here’s the card.”   
Fitz told her evenly, raising an eyebrow, almost in a dare. Lynn nodded seriously and took the card, disappearing into the employee area.   
“What was that about?”  
Liv wondered aloud. Fitz took the papers in his hands again.   
“Nothing. We need to get back to bed anyway.”   
Fitz commented, shuffling the papers and returning to his reading.   
“Fitz, we have a two thirty meeting and a four fifteen speech. Did you forget?”   
“No, I didn’t forget.”   
Fitz told her patiently, his voice even as Lynn returned with his card and several receipts.   
“You’re all set,”   
Lynn announced, leaning down to Fitz and pointing to the places that his signature was needed. Her breasts were barely contained in the pristine white v-neck that she wore. Again, Liv rolled her eyes at Lynn’s forwardness, but noted with small satisfaction that Fitz barely looked at her.   
“Thank you.”   
Fitz told her a moment later, after he shelled out a twenty dollar tip and stood. Liv looked up as he held the papers in his left hand and reached out for her with his right. Reluctantly, Liv took his hand, annoyed that he still hadn’t acknowledged her concerns. 

xxx

“Do. That. Again.”   
Liv commanded, gripping Fitz’s face as she collapsed against his chest. Fitz’s fingers dropped from her center in fatigue. He grinned against her roaming hands and kissed her cheek.   
“You liked that?”   
Fitz asked huskily, softly dragging his teeth against Liv’s jawbone. Liv felt the action in her already sore groin.   
“Unfortunately.”  
Liv admitted, kissing him again and glancing over at his bedside clock.   
“It’s almost two,”   
Liv watched as Fitz smiled his lazy smile, and felt his fingers creeping back toward her sensitive area, she guided his fingers there and watched him admire her in surprise.   
“You know we’re good at this,”   
His fingers moved gently with Liv’s urging, and as he slipped a finger inside of her, Liv felt her breath quicken, but she knew she had more than his full attention.   
“What are we doing here, Fitz?”   
Liv asked, as Fitz took over fully, ignoring Liv’s soft, gentle urgings, those of which were most manageable. She knew how to speak when she was being handled gently, but that was not Fitz’s style, and as his fingers began to pick up speed, Liv unraveled on top of him, burying her head in his neck and arching her back as his palm pressed into her folds.   
Almost too quickly, he was inside of her again, his strokes slow and deliberate. Liv started to establish a faster rhythm, but he halted her, taking control of her hips and slowly rolling her down onto him, his movements so unexpected, but so full of thought that Liv nearly burst each time he stroked.   
She felt a whimper escape her mouth as she felt the warmth spreading, and Fitz’s cock stretching her a little more with each stroke. She almost hated how slow he was going, but she loved that he was savoring her.   
Once or twice he stopped completely, just grasping her ass in his hands and biting on Liv’s neck with a small grunt, but he continued his slow strokes, and soon Liv was dropping down on him, meeting his slow strokes. She could feel her juices coating the both of them.   
“Fuck, Fitz.”   
Liv exclaimed, as Fitz narrowly pulled out of her and came on her inner thigh.   
Liv collapsed, once again, against Fitz’s chest.   
“I’ve never had lazy sex,”   
Fitz commented, stroking Liv’s back thoughtfully, as Liv cocooned around him, her arms clasped under his back. Liv laughed weakly, the action telling her that her soreness would be worse in a few hours’ time.   
“Me either…well I haven’t had most kinds of sex, so we’re even.”   
Fitz’s stroking of Liv’s back ceased, and he pulled her chin up to look at him, his eyes fearful.   
“Liv…”   
His deep voice boomed.   
“Did we skip the part where you mentioned you were a virgin?”   
Liv rolled her eyes. Clearly this was a guy thing.   
“Fitz, I’m not a virgin. I’m just not sexually experienced.”   
“Oh,”   
Fitz replied, seeming to relax.   
“But… does that mean I’m your second?”   
“Fitz if you must know, yes. You are my second. My second sexual partner and my second time having sex. Yes, yes, yes. Now we can move on from questions about my vagina.”   
Fitz waited a moment, as Liv’s temper receded, before bursting out in laughter, his belly undulating so much, that Liv became annoyed and rolled away from him, walking ass naked into the ensuite and turning on the shower.   
While Liv waited for the shower water to heat, she examined her inner thigh with mild fascination, swirling her finger in the sticky mass. Liv pulled her goo-covered finger up to examine and raised an eyebrow critically.   
I never was good at Biology. But even if I was, this would still be a weird concept. This gunk is the baby juice? Weird.   
Liv pressed her thumb into the gunk and pulled her fingers apart, giggling slightly as she noticed steam beginning to rise from the shower stall.   
Liv felt Fitz’s hands on her hips in the next moment.   
Of course he has to appear when I’m playing with his cum.   
“You caught me being strange.”   
Liv told him, lifting her arm to hover under the showerhead, the goo washing away.   
Fitz pressed his face into the crook of her neck, the action spreading warmth throughout Liv’s body. It wasn’t quite sexual and she figured Fitz wasn’t trying to create intimacy between them, but she enjoyed it all the same.   
“I like it when you’re strange,” Fitz replied, nibbling on the bottom of her earlobe. Liv couldn’t help but lean back into Fitz, sighing a deep resigned sigh.   
“You’re killing me here,”   
Liv groaned, his tongue beginning to swirl around the delicate skin under her ear. Fitz chuckled, though he didn’t relent in his assault.   
“Am I? I’d probably use the word ‘seduce’”   
Liv rolled her eyes and pushed away from Fitz, turning and looking up at him, her eyes wary and slightly glazed over from his actions.   
“We need to talk, Fitz.”   
Fitz looked at her seriously and raised an eyebrow.   
“About what?”   
He asked, though she was sure he knew very well what she wanted to discuss.   
“What are we doing here? I just want to know. If you like me as a friend and enjoy fucking me, tell me that. Or if you want this to be a thing, tell me that. I don’t want to keep getting wrapped up in you if this is just sex.”   
Fitz backed up from Liv more, crossing his arms. Liv was relieved that he had slipped his boxers back on. It was much easier to talk to him without his dick staring at her.   
“This. Is… not just sex. Okay? I promise.”   
Fitz finally told her, exhaling loudly and running his hand through his hair. He dropped his arm after a moment of ruffling his hair.   
“Okay. So why didn’t you just say that? Why have you been trying to distract me all morning with sex instead of telling me that?”  
Fitz grinned wickedly, his sense of humor returning, Liv could see.   
“Well, I like having sex with you, so there’s that. And… it wasn’t something I could just say. I don’t know why you would think I would do this if it was just sex.”   
This time, Liv was in disbelief, she crossed her arms impatiently.   
“Every politician ever has had an affair with their assistant, or their aide or their receptionist. An affair, an illicit affair that was based in sex. This being just sex wouldn’t be a stretch, honestly.”   
Fitz shifted his weight, and cocked his head to the side.   
“There is nothing illicit about this. I want this to be a thing. I just didn’t say so.”   
“Why not?”   
Horrible, despicable politician! Having me going crazy worrying!  
“Because… like everything in my life. It’s complicated. I was telling you the truth, nothing about this is illicit. But nothing about this will be easy either. I just need you to be ready for that…”   
There had to be a catch, Liv cursed inwardly. There had to be a reason that he was single.   
“Can you give me a preview? What’s so complicated about this?”   
Fitz strode forward, closing the space between them as he pushed his hands around her naked hips.   
“I want to savor this.”   
Fitz cooed, ducking his head down to whisper against her slightly open lips.   
“Savor… what?”   
Liv asked breathily, looking up into his eyes, almost in surrender.   
“The way you look at me… you trust me don’t you?”   
Liv nodded weakly.   
“I hate it. But I do.”   
Fitz grinned against Liv’s mouth, her heart thumping loud, all the blood in her body rushing at light speed.   
“I want to savor your trust. I want to savor how you open your legs to me, with complete faith and trust. I want to savor you…”   
“Is it that bad?”   
Liv asked, not really wanting to know his answer.   
“Let’s just be here right now,”   
Fitz pleaded, pecking her lips softly, then deepening the kiss, his tongue swirling with hers. He pulled away, leaving Liv breathless.   
“We have plenty of time to talk about this,”   
Liv reached up and kissed him again, nibbling his lower lip.   
“Okay,”   
Liv breathed, as Fitz hoisted her up into his arms.   
She grasped his face and stared into his eyes.   
“I trust you.” 

 

xxx

“We need to get back on track. Not just here, where things are starting over, where we are forging a new path, but also in every state of this nation. We need to set our sights on getting back to where we were, just a few short years ago. Once we’re back where things were good, then we can start making things great.”   
Liv watched Fitz’s speech from the sidelines of the community college auditorium. She knew this about him, before their whispered conversations after sex, that he was a good speaker. He had a way with words, and Liv loved to watch him talk, and the crowd had as well, as the applause was resounding.   
He does look Presidential up there. Liv realized. They had started planning for Fitz to leak words into his speeches about the nation, hinting toward the Presidential race. But, at 30, Fitz was the youngest person to begin the race for President. By the time that primaries begun, he would be old enough to run.   
Liv felt her lower muscles tightening. He smiled at the crowd as the applause roared on, then glanced to his right where Liv stood, holding the tablet that contained his schedule and speech drafts.   
The applause finally began to wane, and Fitz cleared his throat, as if this next part of his speech was making him nervous. Liv looked down at her version of the teleprompter speech. He was to transition to speak about his proposed free tuition for all state schools. He had been particularly excited about introducing this idea, though it would make him very liberal in the eyes of his constituents.  
“As you all may have realized, I have been very silent about my private life. Part of this reason is because I have felt as if the public shouldn’t have access to this, but clearly, as I have been advised, this is a large concern in each age group of voters. I was told not too long ago, that my decision to remain quiet about my personal life alienated me from the rest of my potential competition. I don’t want to alienate myself, and I do not want the American people to feel unsure of where I stand, because that does not speak to who I am, in any way.”   
Liv stared across the stage at Fitz, wondering why he was going so far away from the written version of his speech. He didn’t glance over at her again as he took another breath and smiled at the crowd again, his eyes a million miles away, as they only were when he was distancing himself.   
“So, without further explanation, I am proud to introduce you, in this intimate setting, to my fiancé, Delaney Porter.”   
From the other end of the stage, a tall, shapely, red haired woman appeared, dressed appropriately in a cobalt blue blazer jacket and skirt. She walked to Fitz’s side, where he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. After one lingering glance, he turned them back toward the crowd.   
Liv felt her knees weaken, as she waited for some kind of explanation, but there wasn’t one that could fix what Fitz himself had just announced. The two cameras that had been allowed to photograph the event went wild, snapping a dozen photos a minute of Delaney and Fitz.   
A fiancé, Liv thought, tears springing forcefully into her eyes. Why couldn’t he just be a goddamn psychopath?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t be mad! I know this latest revelation in this story makes some people think that I’ve lost my head, but I haven’t. I know this fiancé thing seems like it will make it hard for Liv and Fitz to get together, which it will, but not impossible. As for next chapter, of course Fitz will explain the fiancé thing, and we will have more of how they will proceed in their relationship. As for Delaney, we have to have more of her. Her split second appearance in this chapter will be expanded next chapter. Her story is an interesting one and I can’t wait for you to read about her. Also, Liv will have dinner with her little sister, Indi and she’s an amazing character as well. Let me know what you thought! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> -Avis


	4. Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liv sulks a lot here. CW: sadness.

Liv sat cross-legged on the couch in her living room, staring vacantly at a rerun of Full House and cradling her prized Pillow Person that she’d received on her fifth birthday. Her phone buzzed in a determined way just in front of her as she recognized the familiar face of her sister, Indi. She leaned forward and picked her phone up slowly.  
“Hello?”  
Indi’s cheery voice came over the phone, and Liv almost hung up right there, but she soldiered on.  
“Sissy. You have been crazy MIA lately. I know you fall off the face of the earth sometimes but you usually text.”  
Liv cleared her throat discretely and watched as a commercial flicked across the street, once about some romantic perfume. Liv rolled her eyes as her sister ticked her teeth.  
“I know… I know. I’m sorry.”  
“Sissy… what’s wrong?”  
“Nothing. I’m just stressed. I have this internship that’s been taking up a lot of my energy.”  
This wasn’t entirely untrue, though Liv felt inclined not to mention it to Indi, she had skipped her internship since they had returned from L.A. several days prior. Fitz had called and texted her dozens of times, but he’d done everything but come over. Which could be seen as wise on his part, because Abby had been on the warpath since Liv had come home crying from the airport. Liv pulled the comforter from her bed tighter around her shoulders and clutched the phone as she looked behind her, thankful that Abby had finally taken a break from her twenty-four hour surveillance of Liv and had went out for dinner with Stephen.  
“I know you’re really excited about the job, but you shouldn’t let it get to you, Liv. It’s not worth you falling apart over.” Indi cooed, pulling the phone away from her for a moment to call to a friend.  
“Are we still on for tomorrow?”  
Liv asked, ready to get off of the phone and curl up in the comforter. She also wanted to catch the Boy Meets World marathon that was coming on at midnight.  
“Of course, sissy. I’m bringing my overnight bag. Can I still crash on the couch?”  
“It’s all yours,”  
Liv assured, knowing full well that her sister despised sleeping on the couch and she always ended up sleeping with Liv in her bed.  
“Good. I’m leaving early, so I’ll probably be there before you’re done at your internship. Should I meet you there or do you want me to call Abby to let me in?”  
Liv yawned lightly into the phone.  
“Um. Call Abby. It’s not really the type of place you can hang out. Anyways I won’t be long.”  
“Al-rightie-kay, sissy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
“Love you, Bye,”  
Liv hung up her phone and dropped it back on the coffee table as the end credits of Full House began to roll.  
“Liv.”  
Liv sat up, but only slightly as she noticed Abby standing in the entryway of the apartment, her purse and keys in hand.  
“Liv. He was outside when I got here. If you want me to kick his ass and call the Washington Post, I will.”  
Liv didn’t understand until Abby stepped aside and Fitz emerged from outside.  
Liv sat up more, angry that Fitz was standing there, disheveled in his suit, his tie loosened, his dark hair looking as if he’d been running both hands through it all day. He stared at her, his eyes full of emotion, though Liv felt nothing at this revelation. She almost hated him, almost. And she hated that she couldn’t commit to hating him.  
Abby took Liv’s silence and disconnected stare for a rejection of Fitz, so she began to usher him out.  
“I don’t think she’s ready,”  
Abby told him, holding out her arm and taking a step forward.  
“Wait,”  
Liv interjected in a small voice, standing from her bundle of covers and dropping her Pillow Person.  
“Down the hall, come on.”  
Liv ordered, stepping around the coffee table and walking down the hallway to her room, which wasn’t neat, as she usually kept it. Fitz followed her, almost too eagerly as she pushed open her door and pulled him inside, her small hand gripping his tie and closing the door behind them.  
Fitz stood in front of her, his height making her room seem smaller than it was.  
Fitz opened his mouth to explain, but Liv wouldn’t let him. Striding forward, she reached up and smacked him across the face, tears welling in her eyes.  
“Who do you think you are?”  
Liv hissed, eyes blazing.  
“You told me I could trust you. You made me feel safe and wanted and then you just shit all over it? How fucking could you?”  
Fitz opened his mouth once again to speak, but Liv silenced him with one glance.  
“You’re… exactly who I was afraid you were. I had so many theories, I didn’t know what you were. But I can’t believe that I thought for a second that you could be different. That you said what you meant, and that it wasn’t a lie. All you speak is lies, Fitz! What do you possibly have to say that is going to fix anything? That is going to make me trust you again? There’s nothing. Nothing.”  
Fitz pulled off his tie and threw it on the floor, his stare unrelenting. He was in wonder of her, and she knew it.  
“There is an explanation. And I am going to tell you. But the one thing I can never explain, is not telling you. I should have told you when I could, when it was just us. But I didn’t.”  
“And you telling me in advance that you had a fiancé would have made me feel like I was in some Clinton-Lewinsky reenactment. It wouldn’t have helped.”  
“It would have helped if I told you I’m not marrying her.”  
Liv rolled her eyes, her arms crossing automatically.  
“The best you could come up with is that you broke it off with her? First of all, doing so would kill you career, since you already made that cute public announcement, and second, it doesn’t fix the fact that you were inside of me while fucking Delaney was picking out the china patterns for your wedding, Fitz. It doesn’t fix anything.”  
Fitz pulled his suit jacket off next. Liv eyed him critically.  
“You’re getting mighty comfortable.”  
“There’s no excuse for what I did. But I was never marrying her. Not in the romantic sense. It was all political. My advisors set everything up, interviewing potential fiancée’s and keeping me out of it on a personal level. I met her for the first time on that stage. I was given her name and her picture. That’s it. That’s all that was between us was a contract- that’s yet to be signed and a trial run. I couldn’t tell you that, not with a straight face. It’s ridiculous and it’s more than I could ever tell you.”  
Liv felt herself softening toward Fitz, and she hated it.  
“So let me get this straight, because I can’t be hearing what I think I’m hearing… Your campaign hired a fiancée for you? And you met her when you told the entire world that you were engaged? Except you’re not because its fake and she’s literally on your payroll?”  
Fitz sighed.  
“Can I just hold you, please?”  
Liv took a step back, leaning against the closed door and moving her foot to rest on the leg of her charcoal gray long johns.  
“No. You can’t. You can continue to explain, then you can go. That’s all I want you to do right now.”  
Fitz nodded, and strode toward Liv, she shook her head, knowing what he was doing.  
“Fitz,”  
Liv warned, as he reached her and leaned down to separate her legs and lift her up into his arms.  
“Put me down.”  
Liv expressly told Fitz, staring at him like he was crazy as she ignored her body’s response to his hands on her ass.  
“Liv. I need you to listen to me, please.”  
Liv stared at him expectantly.  
“I don’t want to be engaged to Delaney, I don’t. This was planned before I met you, and it was too late to call it off. I couldn’t ask you to do what she’s going to do. It’s too much. And you said it yourself- I need a wife, a family if I’m going to win. And I do want to win. You’ve made me think I could actually be a good President. But there’s nothing I can do about the expectations. Voters expect me to have a wife. And I couldn’t ask you to do that.”  
Liv shook her head.  
“And the announcement? How am I supposed to be okay with that? I’m not touching you if you have a fiancé, I’m just not. I don’t care how I feel, Fitz. You are Delaney’s. As long as you’re engaged.”  
Fitz pushed Liv against the door impatiently, jumpstarting her arousal and pinning her arms above her head impatiently.  
“If I am anyone’s, I am yours, alright? Let’s get that straight. And the announcement will never get out, if I don’t want it to. The announcement was staged, and so was the press. If I wanted to, right now I could call it all off, and have Delaney shipped back to wherever they found her. I could do all of this, if you’ll tell me something.”  
Liv bit her lip nervously, realizing that Fitz’s explanation made sense; his speech at a small community college, the presence of only two members of the press- it was staged.  
“So your announcement…”  
“Wasn’t a real announcement.”  
Fitz finished.  
“It was a trial run, to see the response to Delaney. Nothing will leak, nothing will get out if I were to back out of this with her.”  
Liv couldn’t help but feel his erect member pressing insistently against her. She wanted him to be inside her, to nibble her ear, to caress the spot in the middle of her back that made her shiver, she wanted him.  
“So? If it’s not Delaney, it’s someone else. Like you said, you still need a wife. You still need to build a family. I’m not sticking around for this. It hurts… I want you but I’m not going to do this.”  
“Liv, you’re still not getting it.”  
“Getting what?”  
“You just said it; if it’s not Delaney, it’s someone else. But that someone else… is you. If you want to try.”  
Liv blinked and raised her eyebrow.  
“Did… Did you just ask me to marry you?”  
Fitz’s lips gave way to a smile, and Liv felt her heart flutter.  
“Well. Yes. I guess I did… but only so we can continue to date. In public. We don’t have to be any different from any other couple.”  
“Except we’ll be married. Right. That’s not just crazy… its… well. Actually I think crazy might be a really good summary.”  
Fitz smiled wider, dropping his hold on Liv’s arms, and kissing her, she tried to kiss him back, but her head was swimming, and she could barely process the flood of information.  
Liv broke away from his kiss.  
“Fitz, you just asked me to be your fiancée. I can’t date you while being your fiancée, especially because this marriage involves an actual marriage, and a contract. With the expectancy of kids. How could I be okay with this?”  
“This is a solution, Liv. It’s a solution to everything. If you consider it.”  
“Fitz. This is me signing over the next twenty years of my life to you. It’s signing up for a job that I’m pretty sure I don’t want. I’m only twenty-one. I want to travel and see things and be independent.”  
“And you couldn’t travel as the First Lady? You are entitled to independence and I would never want to take that away from you.”  
“It’s not you! It’s the Secret Service. And the fact that I would be an icon, people would recognize me everywhere and anywhere, Fitz. Please. You’re not thinking straight. If I say yes to this, I’m locked in, until you’re not President anymore and then some. This is not an easy decision.”  
“I know,”  
Fitz agreed, setting Liv down onto her feet.  
“But I want you to consider it. I don’t want anyone but you. I want you to be my First Lady. And I know the terms are… steep. But I want you to consider the possibility that we could be happy.”  
Liv watched as Fitz gathered his suit jacket and tie. He walked back to Liv, as he reached for the doorknob.  
“I want us. I want you. Please. Consider it.”  
Liv stepped aside as Fitz opened the door and glanced at her, as she remained silent. Fitz sighed heavily and closed the door behind him.  
Liv heard his footsteps down the hall. She waited another moment before dashing into the living room and retrieving her phone. She scrolled into her texts and opened their thread.  
I’LL CONSIDER IT. LET YOU KNOW xxx  
Liv tiptoed back to her room and collapsed on her bed. She needed to sort through her new wave of thoughts, through the craziness that Fitz had just unleashed on her… She needed her sister. 

xxx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I received so many negative reviews about the previous chapter. I know it was a risk giving such a cliffhanger, but I had my reasons. I hope this chapter has restored some faith, if not, I suppose that’s the risk I took in trying to do something new. This decision won’t be easy for Liv, and she will not arrive at it lightly. Next chapter will have some Delaney and Liv and Indi’s sister time. Decision is coming up, but we’re going to take it slow. So hang in there. 
> 
> Thanks for reading as always, 
> 
> Avis


	5. Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the one where Liv has to dissect her relationship with Fitz.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about this,”  
Indi feared, her voice raising slightly, Liv exhaled, tears threatening to spring from her eyes again. Indi softened toward her, and moved her hand to massage Liv’s shoulders, which had been bundled up with so much tension that she welcomed her sister’s hands. As Liv began to settle into Indi’s hands, Indi cleared her throat and looked around the dimly lit living room. Abby and Stephen had gone on a day trip to Philly to visit Stephen’s grandmother, and though Abby had invited Liv and Indi to come along, all Liv really wanted was some sleep and cuddle time with her little sister.  
“This house is depressing, and you are already depressed, so maybe we should get out for the day. We could go to Ocean City for a couple of days… some sea air could help.”  
Liv looked away from Indi’s eager face, the one that reminded her of almost everything reckless she’d done as a teenager. Despite their age difference, Indi had always been the one who led, and though Liv hated to think of herself as a follower, that’s exactly what she did- she followed. Indi had made her take risks, and be adventurous, even if only for a few minutes. Liv had to admit it to herself, though, if Indi wasn’t on board with Fitz, how could she be? If Indi, the same girl who had convinced her to scale the side of their house to avoid a broken curfew, was wary about Fitz’s proposition, there was no way that it could work. Fitz was being so difficult, in fact more than difficult.  
It’s either marriage or nothing with him! How can he expect me to give up everything for him? Based on what? Sex? Intense sensations in my vag region? Weak, wobbly knees? He’s a crazy person!  
“Sea air? Indi, no. I’m not leaving this apartment, except to sign for the Chinese. I thought you were down to stay inside for the night.”  
Indi rolled her eyes but continued to massage Liv’s shoulders.  
“You’re reminding me of Mom,”  
Indi told Liv carefully, staring her in the face, her eyes unrelenting and all-consuming.  
“I am her daughter,”  
Liv countered, irritated that Indi was trying to use their mother against her.  
“You know what I mean.”  
Indi pressed forward, her fingers digging into Liv’s tense shoulder muscles.  
“Yes, Indiana. I know what you mean. We both know Mom isn’t perfect. If your name is any indication, she made a lot of mistakes with us. But using her faults to get me to do what you want is shitty, and you know it.”  
Liv spat, raising her eyebrow in a challenging way and shrugging Indi’s hands off of her shoulders.  
“I’m not talking about her fixation with a state she’s never been to, Olivia. I’m talking about the fact that you’re letting a man control you, just like she did! How long have you known this guy? About ten minutes, and you’re already letting yourself be swept up in his bullshit, Liv. It’s never been this serious, ever. Move on, while you still can!”  
Liv thought of her mother, constantly in tune with what their father felt. Always throwing herself around, bending over backwards for whatever he wanted or needed from her. Liv wanted to know that she wasn’t like her mother, but sometimes she worried that she was. Indi had sworn off of seriously dating a while back, and she’d had a plethora of meaningful sexual relationships, driven by the fact that she never committed, never became exclusive to anyone. Liv realized that this was a way that Indi kept herself safe; by never being with anyone that way she was able to separate emotion and sex. Liv had never been that lucky- she just wasn’t that skilled. Michael had nearly destroyed her, and they’d only had sex once.  
When their parents celebrated their twenty-third anniversary the previous year, Liv had seen for the first time what she’d felt for so many years: her mother’s weakness. Her mother was so broken, that she loved a man who hurt her endlessly, who was emotionally checked out, and who made their children feel like they deserved nothing. Liv had always resented her father, with good reason, but only recently had she started resenting her mother.  
“I can’t,”  
Liv finally admitted, brushing a tear from her eye.  
“I really can’t, Indi. As much as I want to.”  
“Why not? Why is it so hard for you to detach?”  
“Why is it so hard for you to attach? If we’re asking the hard questions about me, we’re asking the hard questions about you, too.”  
Indi rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. “I’m an open book, Liv. It’s not me who doesn’t talk. You can ask me anything about anyone I’ve ever had sex with, and I can give you the rundown. I’m not guarded like you are.”  
“It’s not about being guarded. It’s about the quality, not the quantity. So you can tell me about the last few guys you were with, that doesn’t matter. All of them put together don’t equal what Fitz means to me, okay?”  
Indi tried to smile through her disdain, Liv could tell that she just couldn’t relate; she had no concept of what Liv was feeling. As sweet and as warm Indi was, she wasn’t that way with the guys she saw, she didn’t have the capacity for it, and Liv knew that trying to get her there, where she was, would be nearly impossible.  
“So what is it about Fitz? What does he mean to you? Aside from good sex?”  
Liv raised her eyebrow, and blushed, thinking of his lips on her body, kissing her in places that she’d only anatomically known were there.  
“But that’s just it, Indi. Part of our connection is a sexual one. We have this heat between us… its tangible and it’s all-consuming. We can be talking about something completely innocent, and it’s like foreplay… it’s like we have this pull, this charge. I don’t know how else to describe it.”  
Indi sat up, excited at Liv’s words.  
“Okay… this sounds like the thing I had with Chris.”  
Liv rolled her eyes skeptically. “Which Chris? The one from Connecticut?”  
Indi shook her head fondly. “No, the Chris from Philly. He was the baseball player.”  
“Ah,” Liv replied, just barely remembering who she was talking about.  
“What it sounds like is an intense physical connection… steamy and not so special that you need to marry the guy to keep it.”  
“No,” Liv groaned impatiently. “It’s not just physical is what I’m telling you! He’s intelligent… he has this need to prove himself, like he was the last kid picked for kickball or something. It’s like… he’s constantly waiting on himself to fail, but he keeps pushing forward. He keeps moving on because he wants to do as much as he can… He… has something. Something that’s special.”  
“A Napoleon complex?” Indi asked, laughing.  
“Shut up,” Liv retorted.  
“Sorry, sorry.” Indi innocently cooed, holding up her hands in surrender.  
“I’ve gotten to know this guy. He’s been completely open with me, he’s sweet, gentlemanly, and… he’s tender. Yes, he just does all kinds of things to me that I never knew I liked… but… that’s not everything. That’s not all he is to me. Not even close.”  
Indi nodded, trying to understand.  
“Okay. So he is special to you. Is that enough? Do you think you could sign a piece of paper saying that you’ll remain his wife for the duration of his Presidency and then some? You’ll be royalty, Olivia. This isn’t just for five years. This isn’t for his campaign, this is for life. This is something that will stick with you. You’ll always be Mrs. Olivia Grant, no matter what you do that will be your identity. I know you wanted to do things of your own, make a name for yourself. How do you expect to be able to do that when you have his name?”  
That’s exactly what you were thinking. Don’t act like it wasn’t. How can a woman be powerful when she has to overcome the powerful man in her life?  
Hillary did it.  
Please. Everyone knows that a woman can’t be both. You can’t be the First Lady and have anything real on your own. Everything else will be an ‘and’ for the rest of your life. You’ll be Olivia Carolyn Grant, First Lady AND Head of PR & Marketing at whatever firm you create. You’ll never be able to have anything on your own merit, because your husband’s clout will loom over you. You’ll be up for public consumption, you’ll be dissected.  
Liv pulled herself from her nasty inner monologue, trying to shake the nasty voice that confirmed her worst fears.  
“I get all of what you’re saying, Indi. Trust me I do. I’ve literally looked at this from every possible angle. I’m not an idiot.”  
Indi huffed her breath impatiently. “No one said you were. You are the smartest person I know, okay? Which is why I’m just so… confused. You worked through your summers since you were in middle school, took every single extracurricular activity you could, ran every committee, lobbied for every cause. You single handedly coordinated environmental debates, social media campaigns, rallies. You have been so successful in everything you’ve done. And you’re just going to throw it away to stand behind some guy who’s probably a dime a dozen?”  
“That’s sexist. Why do I have to stand behind him? Being First Lady is an important job.”  
“You’re a glorified trophy wife! It’s antiquated!”  
Liv sat back, nearly at the end of her rope. Indi’s points were valid, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was selfish. She had barely seen the world, and only scratched the surface of her life. She wanted to stick her feet in every ocean that the world had, she wanted to feel the sun of Africa warming her face and she desperately wanted to roam the most ancient cities, taste the most coveted foods in the world. She couldn’t do that as First Lady. She would be tied to Washington, tied to Fitz. Even if Fitz was okay with her being away from him for so long, the optics wouldn’t allow it; a First Lady roaming on beautiful beaches? Learning ancient languages? As a First Lady she would have to be tamed, she couldn’t be the twenty-something that she would want to be.  
“Not to mention,” Indi pressed forward. “He lied to you about everything. He could have told you at any point that he had a fiancée lined up. He could have told you everything, and it would have saved you buckets of tears, babe. If he doesn’t care about your feelings now, how do you expect to be able to marry him? He’ll never make you feel safe like you need to.”  
“Well,” Liv said after such a long pause, that she’d nearly surprised herself. “This has been such an illuminating conversation that I just about need a nap in order to process all this information.”  
Indi sat back, watching Liv stand and slip on her night owl slippers.  
“Liv. You knew all of this already. Everything we talked about you already thought about. You’re always turning things over in your head, it’s how you cope. I hate that this guy is doing this to you. He’s turning you inside out, and he’s made you cry more in the last few weeks than you’ve ever cried in your whole life. I hate him for that. And I don’t care if you marry him. I swear I don’t. But I’ll never like him. I’ll be at your wedding for you. I don’t support how he’s handled any of this so far. I don’t. And I never will. So… just keep that in mind. It’s ultimately your choice.”  
“Thanks,” Liv answered, crossing her arms. Her pillow person now clutched in her arms. “Seeing as I would be the one getting married, it’s glad to know that you know that it’s my choice.”  
Liv walked away from Indi and down the hall toward her room.  
“Liv!” Indi called; Liv ignored her, and slammed her bedroom door, locking it and tossing her pillow person on her bed.  
“Liv!!” Indi was at Liv’s door now, banging and jumping against it, trying to get Liv to open the door.  
“You know what I meant, Liv! I don’t want anyone to make this decision for you! This is for you, because you want it, because it’s right. Don’t let him push you into this.”  
“I won’t,”  
Liv promised, still not unlocking the door. She stared at her phone forlornly; she’d had it on Do Not Disturb since she’d texted Fitz. She crossed the room and unlocked it, staring at the message count, which was double what it had been last time she checked. She opened the message app and was surprised that she only had one text from Fitz:  
I’LL WAIT AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR YOU. I’VE MADE MY MISTAKES, I’VE HURT YOU. I’VE HURT MYSELF. I WANT TO START OVER, TO HAVE SOMETHING GOOD WITH YOU. I’M YOURS FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT ME. OXOX, FITZ  
Liv smiled at the text, and pressed the ‘call’ icon; Fitz answered on the first ring.  
“Olivia.” His tone was surprised, Liv bit her lip; just hearing his voice ignited the fire he’d discovered inside of her. She wanted him, but then she always wanted him. It felt like it had been so long since she felt his lips at her neck, since his hands swirled around her inner thighs.  
“Fitz, I need a favor,” Liv finally answered, her tone brusque and giving nothing away.  
“Okay, shoot.”  
“I need you to get me a meeting with Delaney Porter.”  
There was a long, drawn out pause, on Fitz’s end, before Liv heard him quietly excuse himself and presumably leave the room he’d been in.  
“Liv… are you feeling alright?”  
“Yes, Fitz. I’m good. I really need you to get me that meeting though.”  
“With Delaney?”  
“With Delaney.” Liv replied firmly.  
“Is this part of your decision-making process?”  
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Can you do it?”  
Fitz cleared his throat, his apprehension was tangible. “Are you going to… hurt her or something?”  
Liv laughed generously. “No, Fitzgerald. I’m not going to hurt her. I’m going to speak to her. I need to speak with her.”  
“Uh. Okay? Sure. I’ll have Jolie call you with the details of the meeting. When did you want to make this happen?”  
“Tomorrow, I need you to have her meet me at a restaurant where no one will notice us, and I need you to make it happen between eight and ten tomorrow morning.”  
“Did you pick up another class or something?”  
“No, Fitz. I have to be at the office by eleven. I need to put in some overtime; I skipped the internship so many times already. It’ll be hard to do.”  
“Liv… You’re still running all my social media, and you did so much preemptive work that I’m still sifting through… there’s no need for you to rush in here before you’re ready. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve already put in overtime.”  
“I don’t see it that way, Fitz. I’ll be in tomorrow.”  
Fitz sighed, and Liv could tell that she was stressing him out, but she didn’t care. She needed her time away from him personally, but professionally, he was still her boss. She still had a job to do, and he was going to let her do it.  
“So Delaney will meet me between eight and ten?”  
“I’ll do my best.”  
“Fitz….” Liv warned, her playful side attempting to emerge.  
“She’ll be there.” Fitz assured. In a smaller voice he added, “I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, I miss you.”  
Liv grinned like an idiot, she liked when he was affectionate.  
“I miss you too.” Liv told him, and hung up quickly.  
“Liv?”  
Liv jumped and turned toward the door, unlocking it finally and finding Indi on the floor.  
“Yeah?”  
“That heat thing you were talking about? I kinda feel it.”  
Liv laughed, and reached her hand out to Indi to help her up. “Yeah?”  
“Yes,” Indi assured. 

 

xxx

She’s pretty. Liv realized, scowling at Delaney on the inside. She hated how pleasant she’d been thus far; hardly bothered by the fact that breakfast had just appeared on her Outlook calendar that morning.  
Well, if she’s the First Lady of the United States of America, she’ll have to be used to last minute schedule changes. You’re just giving her practice.  
Delaney had ordered a neat Kale salad with mandarin oranges, while Liv had opted to keep it light and ordered an English muffin with a sunny side up egg, though she’d hardly touched her food. Their conversation had been one note and hadn’t yet become invasive. Liv wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted from Delaney, and sitting in front of her ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm with a dye-job’ disposition was making her mission even less clear. Her mannerisms were charming, and her eyes were a celery green, piercing, but not yet severe. Liv wondered what Delaney must be thinking of her. There was no way she knew some of the motivations that Liv had for inviting her to lunch. Fitz had made it clear that she was not in his circle of advisors, and the information she received was on a need to know basis.  
“Are you going into the office after this?” Delaney asked finally, after another bite of her salad.  
Liv finished her sip of water and smiled weakly. “Yeah, I am. I’d taken some personal time for the last few weeks.”  
Delaney smiled, again very pleasantly and leaned back in her chair, which had an uncomfortably high back.  
“Well it’s good that you’ll be back. Fitz speaks highly of you, I’m told. You’ve been a great assistant to him so far.”  
Liv raised her eyebrow. “Right. Assistant. Delaney, I need to ask you-”  
“You want to ask me what I know,” Delaney guessed, smirking almost sinisterly. She folded her hands in her lap and moved her head to indirectly tousle her tightly waved carrot orange hair. Her pale pink lips parted and then closed again.  
“What do you know?”  
“Enough, Olivia. I know enough. Despite what Fitz has told you, I’m not stupid. I know that he’s only interested in me because I’ll sign the contract. I’m good-looking, and I’m the perfect First Lady. I’m smart, just smart enough so that I’m not perceived to be an idiot. I’m not threatening, good with children, worldly, and best of all, I have nothing else to do but be his First Lady. Be the thing he needs. I’m willing to do what it takes for him, including having his children, supporting him, and eventually becoming his friend. I get the job, that’s why I signed.”  
Liv suddenly felt naked, as if Delaney was revealing herself and pulling Liv apart at the same time.  
“But I’m guessing you’re not quite in understanding of what this job entails, and that’s why you’re here. Did you want to interview me? Ask me what kind of person would give away their life to a stranger? It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day, Olivia. What matters is what you want from him. And what he can reasonably give you. That’s where I’d start.”  
Liv cleared her throat, “So… you’re not mad at me? You don’t hate me for… stealing your job?”  
Delaney rolled her eyes impatiently.  
“Olivia… honestly. It doesn’t matter to me. You don’t matter to me. I don’t hate you, that’s an emotion, and I don’t have time for those. I was alerted to an opportunity; the opportunity is no longer available. That’s it. Hating you is a waste. But obviously you’re on the fence about something. And that’s what’s making you hesitant to say yes. But your hesitation didn’t start with me, and it won’t end with me either.”  
Liv raised her eyebrow, suspicious of Delaney’s ball-buster attitude.  
Is this the kind of person who would do what I’m considering? An emotionally unavailable sociopath?  
“So you knew that Fitz was considering firing you when you accepted this meeting… why did you come?”  
Delaney shrugged. “I was intrigued. This entire thing is some black file stuff. I’m trying to play in this world as long as I can…”  
Liv nodded, trying to understand what she meant by ‘this world’; she’d heard the tern used in movies and dramatic TV shows, but she’d never really got the concept. Of course the rough idea- boy meets girl, boy is from the wrong side of the tracks, and girl is rich. Their ‘worlds’ always boiled down to the class system.  
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Fitz’s world is one that includes contracts, marriage deals and backdoor shady fiancé casting calls. His world is one that you can’t fathom, and you can’t sign because you’re afraid that he’s too far away, that he’s too morally bankrupt for you.  
“And…you’re not afraid of being in his world? What if it gets to be too much for you?”  
Liv wondered aloud, almost asking herself the same thing.  
“Well,” Delaney finally replied, looking as if she was considering her words carefully. “You’ll be able to answer that for me soon enough.” 

“How was breakfast?” Fitz asked by way of greeting a half an hour later as Liv strode into his office. She tried to ignore him, but his looming confident presence made that nearly impossible. He literally took up her space and her thoughts. She wished she could compartmentalize, but she’d never been able to master the most essential art.  
“It was informative,” Liv replied, slowly enunciating every syllable. She busied herself with several file folders full of poll numbers and early sketches of campaign banners.  
“Have you settled on a vice president?” Liv asked absentmindedly as she scanned the sketch- ‘GRANT’ was in large blue letters on the face of the banner, but there was still a blank space underneath his name for his VP.  
“Yeah… except you’re not going to like it.” Fitz answered reluctantly, sitting down at his desk and retrieving his rubber band ball.  
“Why not?” Liv questioned, looking up at Fitz finally.  
“My advisors think that Senator Ballard would be an excellent choice… He’s conservative, he’s Southern, and he’s in bed with the NRA.”  
Liv rolled her eyes so hard they nearly popped out of her head. “What Republican isn’t in bed with the NRA?”  
Fitz shot Liv a knowing look.  
“You know what I mean, Fitz,” Liv waved dismissively. “He’s not the right choice. He’s a pig. He’s not going to back what you’ve been trying to do here.”  
“You’re right,” Fitz agreed, leaning back in his chair and throwing his feet up onto his desk.  
“You’re so right that I told my advisors you would not be on board with their recommendation. In fact I think you’re so right that I want you to run my campaign.”  
Liv dropped the file folder and crossed her arms to keep herself from screaming.  
“Fitz. Please. Don’t do this.”  
Fitz sat up quickly and strode to Liv, he grasped her by the waist authoritatively.  
“I know you can do this. You’re practically doing the job anyway, you’d be the perfect person for the job.”  
“Fitz, no,” Liv moaned, begging for some mercy from someone.  
“This is way too much! I can’t be the perfect First Lady and the perfect campaign manager! It doesn’t work like that.”  
“Why can’t it? We can trail blaze together! You are an intelligent woman! America loves an ambitious woman! You can use this to launch your PR firm. All being a campaign manager entails is framing the optics- making America see what you want them to see! You’re great at that. You’d be great at this.”  
Liv smiled weakly, almost touched at how sweet Fitz was being.  
“Look, Fitz. I’m telling you. From the point of view of a person who only thinks about optics, this can’t work. I can’t get you elected and be your First Lady. It. Does. Not. Work. Like. That. I promise you it doesn’t. Maybe it’s all so simple for you because you believe in me, and I really love that about you, but please don’t think that we can have it all, because we can’t. What you’re asking me to do requires me to choose. I can’t be Olivia the Ambitious Woman and Olivia the First Lady. I would need to choose. That’s what you’re asking me to do. To choose.”  
“I’m asking you to love me.”  
Fitz replied honestly, dipping low to smile at Liv.  
Liv sighed, her weakness standing too close. “But I already do. That’s the only reason I’d consider this. What sane person would consider this?”  
“I’m sorry. I know that this is so much to ask. So much for you to give up.”  
“Which is why I need time,” Liv decided, finally glad she’d made some sort of decision. “I need you to give me some time. I want us to keep being us for a while, I want to feel like a normal relationship. I want to get some of the trust I had back. I want to feel safe again. Once we get to that point, if we get to that point I’ll sign.”  
Fitz leaned down further, his legs bending to look Liv in the eyes. “You’ll sign?” He asked this with so much excitement that Liv couldn’t help but smile with him.  
“Did you hear what I said before that? Cause it was kind of a lot.”  
“I heard it all, I swear.” Fitz assured her. “We will take all the time you need. That’s all I want is for you to feel safe.”  
“Good,” Liv mused, kissing Fitz on his nose playfully.  
“Does time mean I can’t...?”  
Fitz asked suggestively, pulling her up into his arms once again.  
“Can’t what?”  
Liv purred, her arms thrown around Fitz’s neck, his teeth began to nibble at her most sensitive skin.  
He’s not Fitz anymore, Liv realized, a wave of pleasure coming over her. This is the stunt double.  
“Make you scream my name?” He murmured this, so lost in their feverish touching. Liv bit the edge of his ear softly before swooping down to whisper,  
“Please, sir.”  
Fitz gripped Liv’s ass in his palms, and began kneading his way to her center, still covered by her restrictive slacks.  
“Please sir, what?” Fitz asked gruffly, slapping her ass after she didn’t answer.  
“Please sir, fuck me.”  
Fitz grinned wickedly and bit her neck, roughly trailing gruff nibbles down toward the nape of her neck.  
“Baby,” Fitz answered, loosening his tie with one hand. “I’m going to do so much more than that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi Readers! Thanks for sticking with me. I’ve been going through a lot of things in my personal life which have distracted me from updating, and I’m so sorry for that. But, if you’re reading this then you’ve stuck with me despite the unexpected hiatus. Thank you for doing so. Back to the story! We’ve picked up where we left off with Liv and Fitz. Though it may seem like Liv’s conceded at the end of this chapter, she hasn’t. Liv isn’t silly, and she is going to take all the time she needs to be assured that this relationship with Fitz is no only worth it, but that its right. So hang on to that. Also, Delaney provides Liv with some unexpected advice and insight. We’ll be seeing more of her (not too much more, but more). Senator Jake Ballard was also mentioned in this chapter as a possible VP for Fitz, we’ll see that play out in the coming chapters, as well as some more kinky happy time for Fitz and Liv (sorry for that smut cliffhanger! This chapter was more about them getting back on good terms). So saddle up! We’re just getting started! Thanks for reading as always, and let me know what you think in the reviews below! 
> 
> Xoxo, Avis


	6. Part Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some kinky fuckery with some cute shit sprinkled in. Liv compares herself to a plant. Yeah.

Liv laid on her side, scrolling through Fitz’s Instagram feed, merely as a distraction for her ever-turning mind. It was Sunday, and, thankfully, after seeing Fitz at the office on Friday, she had the weekend to herself. After getting back in a good place, Liv needed to think; she didn’t want to make Fitz worry (as he had as soon as she’d told him that she needed a quiet weekend alone,) but she needed to gather her thoughts, and try to come to terms with the decision she’d made. Indi had called, at least three times a day since they’d had their talk the previous Wednesday, but Liv wasn’t ready to dissect the encounter she’d had with Fitz.  
Liv felt her chest balloon as she refreshed Fitz’s profile and noticed he’d posted a new photo. It was one of the personal photos that she’d suggested he throw in the mix to offset the photos of him in a suit doing suitly things.  
He was grinning broadly, his arms thrown around two people she recognized as his advisors; Elmer and Jennifer.  
The caption read:  
Dress-down day at the office yesterday! Doing good work never stops! #FitzfortheWin #GoodWorkNeverStops #ThatSweaterThough  
She chuckled and bit her lip in amusement at Fitz’s attempt to relate to the children of the social media age. The tingling warmth she felt spreading through her body scared her- Fitz’s effect on her couldn’t be denied.  
Sighing to herself, she realized that telling Fitz that she’d sign once she felt that their trust was restored was a huge gamble on her part. She didn’t know Fitz as well as she pretended to, and despite the way he made her feel, she couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety. This wasn’t her usual apprehension that came with an exam or internship application (Liv rolled her eyes at the thought), instead this was the super form- complete with unnecessary dissection of past conversations, a mind that raced at the speed of light, and compulsive leg jiggling. She hoped that she had the ability to trust him again after his betrayal. Though, it wasn’t an actual betrayal, just a perceived one. She told herself this loudly, so that she’d understand.  
Human beings can only maintain complete trust for a person once; when that trust is broken, it is never the same.  
She’d read that somewhere, probably scrolling online. It had bothered her. She worried it was true. Was it possible that she’d never be able to trust the only man who had made her feel anything good? She hated the thought, so she pushed it from her mind.  
Looking back to her phone screen, she smiled again at the photo, attempting to quiet her mind. She’d had to give Fitz a basic course in social media, but clearly he’d ran with the concept, even learning how to create his own hashtags. Staring at the picture a moment longer, she had to admit that he was adorable in the pale blue sweater and charcoal gray button up shirt that peeked from under it. He looked presidential already.  
Indi’s picture appeared on her screen a moment later. Liv bit her lip as she examined the screen appraisingly. Her eyes flicked to a corner of her room as she waited out the sudden intrusion. Thankfully, Indi seemed to get the hint quickly and hung up after four rings.  
Liv sat back and crossed her arms, the index finger and thumb of her right hand rubbing her bottom lip thoughtfully.  
Why don’t I want to talk to Indi? Besides the obvious?  
Liv knew the answer before she’d asked the question.  
Being with Fitz was a fairytale. He was everything she’d ever wanted, and yet so far out of her reach. The contract was evidence of that. So was Indi. As much as Liv loved her and valued her opinion, being with Fitz with Indi’s chiding swimming through her head was difficult. She disliked that she now considered Fitz’s words before she accepted them. Indi had been able to pinpoint the weaknesses in their relationship without really going out of her way.  
Why did Indi’s words unsettle her so much? Was she afraid Indi’s pronouncements were correct?  
Liv decided right then that she needed to get out- she was going stir crazy, maybe she could grab a late lunch with Abby- Liv had heard her moving around in her room, she hoped Stephen wasn’t with her.  
Liv exited her room and padded down the short hallway where Abby’s room was. She knocked once, twice and a third time before Abby groaned distantly and cleared her throat before calling out.  
“Hold on,”  
Liv leaned against Abby’s doorframe and glanced around the living area of their small apartment- since Liv had been in her room all weekend, only leaving to sign for her sushi on Friday night and to walk down to the corner deli for a sandwich on Saturday. The result was fluffed pillows on the couch- each of their throw blankets tightly folded atop one another, a clean kitchen with no dishes in the sink, and a barren shoe tray. Liv twisted her mouth uncomfortably, their living room always looked so cozy and lived in- the location for their weekly Lost binge fests- instead of the warmth and soft edges she typically felt in that room, the room looked slightly cleansed of all human involvement. There was, however, a generous beam of sunlight defiantly shining through the tightly closed curtains.  
Liv crossed the room and threw open the curtains, thankful for their view of the visually acceptable neighborhood they lived in.  
She returned to stand in front of Abby’s door.  
Liv knocked again, as Abby still hadn’t opened her door. She heard another grunt.  
“Liv?”  
“Yes, honey. Are you alright?”  
“Fantastic. I am simply splendid.”  
Liv regarded the door with indignation. “Open up, Abs.”  
“If you love me you will not make me move.”  
“What’s wrong? Did you get fucked up last night?”  
“Oh, I’m fucked, but n  
ot by alcohol,”  
Now Liv was concerned, but she had no way of getting in. Abby and Liv both had deadbolt locks installed on their doors, for added security in their college town. Considering their apartment building didn’t have the latest discoveries in home protection, and the fire escape that lined up with each of their bedrooms and let off in an alley beside their apartment, the deadbolt seemed necessary.  
“Can you stop talking in riddles, Abs? Just come open the door.”  
Abby was silent inside for a while, Liv thought that she might’ve fallen back asleep, still Liv stood with her ear pressed to Abby’s door.  
“I can’t,”  
She finally croaked, her voice scratchy and thin, Liv hadn’t noticed that, how weak Abby’s voice sounded.  
“You can’t?” Liv asked, alarms ringing in panic in her head.  
“No,” Abby replied flatly, “I can’t.”  
“Why not? Why can’t you stretch off of your bed and open the door for me?”  
“It’s more than just stretching and unlocking my door. There’s… stuff in front of it.”  
Liv raised a curious eyebrow, she was less concerned about the “stuff” in front of Abby’s door, and more why Abby had barricaded herself in her room.  
She had been sitting in her room all weekend, her room door always unlocked in case Abby felt the urge to visit. Liv hadn’t found it necessarily concerning that Abby had been MIA all weekend. Aside from the shower that Liv had awoken to find on the previous night, Abby’s movements were relatively nonexistent. At the time, Liv had assumed she’d just decided to sleep at Stephen’s, as she’d done many times before. But, Liv realized it was quite possible that Abby had mostly been in her room all weekend, just like her.  
“Okay, Abs. I just need you to find a way to let me in.”  
“I can’t,”  
Abby replied, her voice slightly muffled.  
“Do you want me to call Stephen? Can he help more than I can?”  
Abby was quiet again. Liv listened, ear pressed to the door again, hoping for any small sound.  
Eventually, Liv realized that Abby wasn’t going to answer. Liv leaned against the door hopelessly.  
“I really need you to come out, Abby. Please. Slide me your key under the door. Where’s your spare?”  
“Gave it to my Mom,”  
Abby replied finally, in the same flat tone.  
“And I don’t have my other key. I lost it.”  
“You lost your keys to the apartment? And your bedroom door? Outside?”  
“Yes,”  
Was her firm answer.  
“Ab-by.”  
Liv groaned, collapsing down to sit against the door. Thinking quickly, Liv laid down flat on the floor, and did her best to press her face flat against the ground. She peered under Abby’s door, but, as Abby had told her, there was a thick blockade, making it impossible to see into Abby’s room at all. The space under her door was an insistent, solid black.  
“I don’t want to call anybody, please just get up.”  
Abby made an impatient sound.  
“Liv.”  
She alerted a moment later.  
“You can’t. You can’t call anyone, no one. You can’t tell anyone.”  
“I just want to help you, Abby. Do you not think locking yourself in your room is a sign that something’s wrong? How do you expect me to react?”  
“I don’t know. But I need you to be my friend and back off of this. I’ll come out when I come out.”  
Liv sat up, pressing her hands against the door.  
“Please, Abby. Just tell me if you’re okay. If you were hurt would you tell me?”  
Abby’s reply was disjointed, her words drawn out and so disconnected. She wasn’t choosing her words, she knew what she wanted to say- she just didn’t want to say it to Liv.  
After some clear debate with herself, she answered Liv.  
“I don’t know. Maybe.”  
“Abby,”  
“Liv, just leave me alone, please.”  
Abby sounded tired, wary even.  
Wary? Of her best friend? How was it possible? What had made Abby so reluctant to open up to her- to trust her?  
When she got right down to it, and considered what had changed, she knew before she could make herself acknowledge it: All roads led to Fitz, they always did. 

xxxx

It was Monday.  
Fitz’s office swirled with implants from his California base. There were hordes of people that Liv did not know. She was outgoing when she needed to be. She did not need to be at that moment. The door to her office was open, but just barely. Just enough to seem “open” but it was not a friendly “open.” This was not a ‘walk in and chat about last night’s episode of Survivor’ open. More of an ‘only contact me if this building is burning,’ open.  
Thinking of open made her think of Abby. Liv chewed on the cap of her BIC pen thoughtfully; Abby had stuck to her guns and been shut in her room since Liv had huffed away in anger on Sunday night. Abby’s self-imposed exile was getting to Liv in more ways than one.  
As if I need any more shit to stress about.  
Adina poked her head into Liv’s office. But, for once, Liv didn’t mind the interruption of her thoughts.  
“I have the twenty-four document.”  
Adina reported with a small amount of pity for Liv, she would have to sort through the dense document. Liv would examine document and this would result in Fitz’s campaign events for the coming two years.  
“Thanks, oh, and can you please move those poll numbers away from my desk? They’re making me sick.”  
Adina smiled at her in amusement and pulled the numbers from a CNN poll away from Liv. She left Liv’s office after dropping the file folder that contained the twenty-four document on her desk.  
Liv liked her small office, she’d quickly made it feel like home. Fitz had brought her a thick knitted blanket, which she kept for days that she felt particularly cold sitting at her desk. She had several potted plants that were thriving- thanks to her green thumb that had been carefully tended to by her mother. Liv felt a twinge of guilt as she remembered the obligatory family photo she’d meant to bring in. She’d bought the frame and everything, even deciding on the spot where it would sit. But, instead of a toothy grinned photo, one of her plants, Herbert, who had a cute bespeckled ‘H’ on his pot called the spot atop of her metal file cabinet, home.  
Liv pulled the sixteen page long word document that Adina had left toward her that contained Fitz’s options for campaigning in the coming twenty four months. To have Fitz’s schedule for the next two years in her hands was daunting. He had so many places he could reach, so much good he could do. But, the font size was 10, and the document was single spaced, no room for pit stops, girlfriends or a life. Fitz simply had no time, no room in his packed schedule.  
“Making you sick, huh?”  
Speak of the devil.  
Liv turned, grinning despite herself before she’d even met Fitz’s eyes. But once she did, she was home, she felt his warm cerulean eyes regard her fondly.  
“What about poll numbers makes you sick?”  
Liv shrugged in a noncommittal way and leaned back in her chair, trying to seem professional.  
“The fact that they’re numbers might be a good start.”  
She said this casually, but she still felt the queasy feeling throughout her body. Fitz’s campaign scared her. The fact that this man she happened to become strongly attached to was bidding for the highest office of the land, she couldn’t bear it. Not physically and not mentally.  
She looked at her only female plant, Patricia, who wore a stylish blue scarf around the top of her pot.  
Fitz followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow at her longing stare toward Patricia. All Patricia had to do was wait for everything she needed to be brought to her. She lived a solitary lifestyle. Liv liked the idea of that, in theory. She wanted that peace. But, she reasoned with herself, Patricia would die if she was not watered.  
Liv looked at Fitz, trying to mask the fact that she’d been staring at a potted plant with some amount of envy.  
Quickly and without much ceremony, Fitz closed her office door and leaned against it, suspicious of Liv’s off-kilter behavior.  
“Okay, come on, tell me what’s up with you.”  
Liv watched Fitz come toward her, but instead of leaning over her, as she expected, he kneeled down in front of her, pulling her chair so that her entire body was facing him.  
Liv studied his face carefully before realizing that he wasn’t going to let this go. She’d been distant since she’d agreed that she would sign, she’d created that distance and thrived on it somehow. She probably drew distant and unintended inspiration from Patricia in that regard. She liked the alone time to think and just be.  
She didn’t consider Fitz. He must have felt the strain, and despite how much he knew she needed it, Liv was sure it hurt him more than he could or would say.  
Fitz was forthcoming enough. He liked Liv to know that he wanted her and he liked her to know that she would be taken care of. He was prompt with good news. Fitz just didn’t like communicating the bad things. He had an inner struggle with disappointments, flukes, and just general unpleasantness. It was almost as if he omitted the bad things from his entire life. Liv wondered if this was why she hadn’t heard much about his family or childhood.  
He eyed her protectively in the next moment.  
She loved that look on him, it felt safe and warm, though he did not embrace her. He radiated such warmness to her all the time. Liv wondered if he ever saved any of that for himself.  
“Nothing that I can tell you in a few words,”  
Liv finally allowed herself to say, a weak smile making its way to her face.  
“We can go to lunch and discuss it.”  
She checked the watch on her wrist quickly- 11:36. Lunch at this hour wouldn’t be a crime.  
Fitz beckoned her with his eyes, they almost twinkled. She became acutely aware of a pulsing sensation, similar to a heartbeat between her legs. The sensation was impossible to ignore. She rolled her eyes, succumbing to an afternoon of Fitz. Even she knew that lunch with Fitz never meant just lunch, and agreeing to lunch was placing herself in the hands of the stunt double. She licked her lips as she stood, kind of hungry now.  
Fitz took her into his arms, letting his arm cradle the bend in her back, he kissed her just below her cheekbone.  
“Thank you,”  
He whispered to her, making the small hairs all over her body stand up as a slight shiver ran through her.  
Liv sent him a wanting look, her eyes large and surrendering.  
Fitz led her from the office, his hand still at her back. A few of the advisors looked up from what they were doing to watch them leave, but most of the twenty or so advisors who were assembled in the room, in chairs or at several of the long tables in the center of Fitz’s vast office, did not. Fitz was boastful in his love of Olivia. That much had been clear from the start, so it was probably a boring subject amongst the group- absolutely not dishy.  
“Jenn?”  
Jenn, Fitz’s advisor and keeper of his schedule, flitted to his side, legal pad at the ready, with the leather bound book that Fitz’s official agenda was kept in, balanced on her shoulder somehow.  
“Olivia and I are going to lunch. What does my day look like?”  
Jenn checked the agenda carefully.  
“You have a presentation at Tyalt Academy at two. It’s an assembly on fitness and nutrition.”  
Fitz raised an eyebrow.  
“Did I get the final notes for that? I don’t have them if I was supposed to.”  
Jenn skittered back to her desk, and retrieved a long list that contained the status of messengered documents.  
She returned to Fitz’s side.  
“They arrived last night, so they’re probably in your incoming.”  
Fitz turned and regarded his empty ‘incoming’ tray with displeasure.  
“Not that I noticed. I don’t want to rush lunch. Can you make sure you email me the notes when you find them?”  
“Of course,”  
“Thank you. Will you be ready to head out by 1:45?” Fitz wanted to know.  
Jenn nodded eagerly. “Yes! Elmer and I are taking a car over at 1:30, actually.”  
Fitz nodded, appreciative and impressed at once. “You’re always one step ahead.”  
This was a compliment. Jenn beamed at him gratefully before excusing herself and heading toward her desk.  
Olivia watched Jenn go, biting her lip with envy at her overloaded desk. Her fingers itched, she wanted to do something. She had her responsibilities, of course, but the social media aspect of Fitz’s campaign was a small one, despite being important. Jenn was a policy advisor, so she mostly read and researched existing political policies that could be used to advance Fitz’s own ideas. In addition to her desk work, she was always out in the field, aiding Fitz in speaking engagements and helping the movement of the campaign. She was so involved, her job meant that she could be in the trenches with Fitz. Liv’s job was detached. She could practically do her job from her bed.  
But Fitz whisked her away from the busyness of the office and into the elevator. He held her hand snugly, intertwining their fingers. Liv was involved with the way that his large hand encompassed hers, she loved the way their fingers looked over top of their hands.  
“Being cute?”  
Fitz ventured, looking down at their hands too.  
Liv rolled her eyes playfully, then scoffed. “Please,”  
“It’s okay if you want to be cute right now. I’m in support of it, trust me.”  
“You’re always in support of PDA,”  
Liv reminded, realizing that her teasing was true- Fitz was declarative of Liv in every way since she’d agreed to sign. Fitz wasn’t the type of politician who had news reporters camping out at his offices- yet. However, Liv knew that once his campaign took off, and he became a front runner in the race, he’d still act the same as he did now. Liv took comfort in Fitz’s dependability. She loved him for it.  
“So where’re we going?” Liv asked with an arrogant swagger, “Chateau de Fitz? What’s on the menu?”  
Fitz laughed at her playful jabs.  
“Yes, we are going to my house, but only because I’ve just decided that I’m cooking you lunch. Why buy chef made food when you have a perfectly able chef right here?”  
He motioned to himself.  
Liv rolled her eyes for the second time, but squeezed his hand, letting him lead her, no, not to the curb as she’d thought, but into the parking garage. Fitz steered Liv confidently through the maze of uniform black and gray vehicles.  
Fitz stopped at his own black BMW. He fished his car key from his suit pocket. It was Monday, so Fitz wore one of his crisp black suits, tailored to the gods. The suit attended to every inch of his body, accentuating his best features. Most every dark color suited him- naturally bringing out the brightness of his eyes.  
“Driving yourself today? Humph.”  
Fitz chuckled out loud, not keeping his adoration to himself.  
“You are being the biggest bully today,”  
He observed, excitement in his eyes. Liv caught on to Fitz’s predilection for verbal sparring at their first meeting, when he interviewed her. Liv was always quick to debate when a debate presented itself. She loved the back and forth that went with talking to Fitz more, though. Fitz enjoyed their dynamic, always taking it as an opportunity to learn more and more about Liv. He was always hungry for her. She never got enough of him.  
He’s your water.  
A sneaky voice told her. She felt her pulse quicken in anxiety as she allowed herself to briefly consider this. She was afraid. Afraid that Fitz could possibly be her life source.  
Could people be that? Be as important as water?  
Fitz helped her into the passenger side, carefully shutting the door once she was inside and buckled in.  
Fitz looked over Liv’s seatbelt once before starting the car. He did this every time. Just to make sure her seatbelt was buckled, though he knew it was.  
He tended to her, nurtured her, protected her, and watched her flourish proudly.  
She knew the answer to the question she’d asked herself before she asked it. That was her way. Always jumping the gun.  
People could be as important as water, they could. And he was. 

xxx

Liv tilted her head back to receive the spoonful of veggies that Fitz was holding out to her. Liv bit into a sweet potato, tender and full of rich flavor, then a piece of corn, then a carrot, and then Liv decided to stop thinking about which flavors she tasted. She just enjoyed.  
“What is that?”  
Liv asked, squinting suspiciously at the pan of sautéed veggies.  
“Sweet potato hash. And I’m ready to sear this steak when you pick the music.”  
Liv hopped off of the smooth, marble countertop in Fitz’s condo. In California, Fitz’s house was modern and well-equipped. Despite these modern touches in his kitchen, the rest of his home had more of his personality, whereas his condo in Washington skipped the personality and went right to the ‘wow’ factor. With a wall of floor to ceiling windows, opening out onto a breathtaking view of the city, polished mahogany floors, exquisite art, and more than one piano, Liv suspected that Fitz hadn’t done any decorating since he’d been there.  
While Liv religiously watched The Property Brothers, she was in no way an interior decorator. She was neat. Stylish within the confines of her own stuff. As much as she was critical of Fitz’s décor, she would never lobby to change anything about it.  
Fitz was surprisingly nonchalant about his place. While Liv had almost refused to touch anything for fear of breaking something, or leaving fingerprints, Fitz had calmed her down, and made her promise that she’d be as at home and relaxed there as she was at her apartment. Tough sell, but Liv was getting used to it.  
Liv padded over to the Bluetooth speaker monitor on one of the pillars that stood between the kitchen and the dining room.  
Her phone was a remembered device. She connected quickly and listlessly searched through her music. Trying not to make the music the focus, she lowered the volume on Stevie Wonder’s greatest hits album. That would hold them for a while.  
Fitz began to sear the steak as promised, leaning against the counter as the first side began to cook. Liv walked back over to him, having shed her uncomfortable heels in favor of bare feet. Fitz was a giant compared to her.  
Liv pressed her face into Fitz’s apron. He’d donned it as they began to cook, Liv chopping the carrots- the only think Fitz had let her do. She’d almost laughed, but he looked too adorable, the apron being an image of a tuxedo, not unlike the one he was wearing. Fitz had only shed his suit jacket.  
Expertly, Fitz cradled Liv in his right arm, intimately weaving his fingers around hers, behind her back, and turned the steak carefully, having produced a precise sear on each side of the meats.  
Liv stayed this way, so close to him, wishing everything could be this simple.  
“Ready to eat?”  
Fitz asked her a little bit later. His words were softer, rid of any playfulness. He was being tender with her, maybe he was worried that she might fall apart.  
Liv leaned her head up, she gave him another look, and she hoped he understood. She stood on her tip toes and kissed his lips gently, pulling back once again so that Fitz could understand her better.  
Her eyes were moons, open and trusting. It hurt to look at him this way, but it was the only look she had. The only look that she could handle.  
Take care of me,  
Her eyes said.  
My body is yours, I am yours, and I’m trusting you. Take care of me.  
Fitz turned the burner off, and pulled the meat to the side, forgetting lunch entirely. Liv waited for her to kiss him. She wanted him to be completely in charge, to take everything that she’d been mulling over in her head, and make it insignificant.  
He took her face into his hands gently, with only his fingertips touching her soft skin.  
Then he kissed her, slowly, not yet opening his mouth to deepen their kiss. He worked on her upper lip first, swooping his lips over them delicately, stopping only to pull it. He moved to her lower lip, picking up his pace, his hands roved her body. She let her anticipations float away. She let him explore her, without the internal demand for him to pay attention to another part of her now. None of that entered her mind. She was pure sensation, touch, taste, and caress. She surrendered herself to him, and she tried not to be scared. 

He took her to his sun room on the first floor. It was meant to be a den, he’d once explained, but Fitz had never had much patience for those kind of rooms, so he left it simply furnished, with a comfortable in-floor couch, and similarly colored throws. Liv had loved the couch that was built into the floor, just the idea of it was nouveau and completely exciting.  
Today, Fitz carried her in, her legs wrapped obediently around his waist. He was serenading her neck, telling her all of his secrets with his tongue and making sure she knew her moans were affecting him so. He lowered them both on the warm fabric of the couch, the room was the corner of the house, and half its walls were windows. Liv watched Fitz work, his actions illuminated by the brilliantly lit room. She smiled as she sun leaked onto her skin, Fitz’s lips brushed first at her collarbone, then to her inner elbow, then down to the furthest point of her thigh, right before her kneecap. He was scrambling, though his demeanor was calm.  
Usually he wanted to savor her, and Liv was sure he’d started out with that intention. But Liv didn’t squirm, she wasn’t restless, her hips weren’t bucking from the bed. She was deep in the sensations he was creating. She enjoyed every lash of his tongue, every careful sweeping of his large hands, every momentary appraisal of her sparsely clothed body.  
Fitz looked up at Liv, as he rested his cheek in the apex of her thighs. She’d been watching him, her eyes heavy and hooded and content. The sun shone on them both, her skin was glowing, absorbing the light.  
Fitz blinked at her in wonder and returned to her side.  
“I love you,”  
He said this breathlessly, and without vanity. It was the truth. She felt it in her bones. And her submission stuck, she didn’t respond, only internalized. This was as important as his physical touch. She tried to be gentle with the handling of his professions, but this one she would take especial care with.  
She smiled, dazzlingly at Fitz, as she just couldn’t help it. His chestnut hair caught the light, he was a million colors. His eyes were a heart shattering shade of blue, it was hard for Liv to describe, she almost couldn’t, but she could feel it.  
Fitz pulled her into him again, and they were a mess then. A tangle of hair and grasping of thighs. Liv let Fitz turn them, in their frenzy she pulled his shirt away, and then the buckle of his belt, he was undressed in ten seconds flat. She pressed her body to his, as he held her there for a moment.  
And then he was in between her legs, kissing her lips before pressing his mouth onto her clit, he kissed her, made out with her most intimate place, she felt the rippling of sensation, it reached all the way to the ends of her hair. She wanted to wiggle, she almost did- he wasn’t restricting her. He had her right and left legs resting on his shoulders. Instead of giving over to her nature, she absorbed his pleasure, his way of loving her. He loved her better than anyone.  
Liv felt the small nibbles as his tongue circled her entrance. He kissed this too. Liv felt faint with sensation as she finally cried out in painful pleasure. She came out of necessity, and continued to come as Fitz softly inserted a finger into her, navigating her body with precision. With her G-spot being stroked, and Fitz’s mouth still devoting absolute attention to her bundle of nerves, she felt the sun brighten on her face. Her body rose, but Fitz met the movement, and it offered no relief.  
She was unable to control it, she’d been trying to control coming again, and she’d been resorting to her normal way of doing things.  
Without scolding herself, she let go of her resistance and came again, her orgasm flooding into her, nearly knocking the wind out of her body. She closed her eyes out of exhaustion. Fitz looked up at her, admiring her mid- orgasm, as her body wasn’t quite done coming. She wanted to sleep automatically, her body not willing to accept that it was only midafternoon.  
“Come,”  
Liv commanded meekly, her hand out for Fitz. She felt shy suddenly. Still being tender toward her, Fitz went to her without poking any fun at her sudden affection.  
She just wanted to cuddle him, feel his arms around her.  
“Some lunch, huh?”  
Fitz said awhile later, after Liv had attended to her bathroom needs, and they haphazardly dressed- Liv in Fitz’s button down, and Fitz in his boxers.  
They ate standing up at the island. Fitz cut Liv’s meat, Liv didn’t mind this, though she remembered that she’d once been angry with Michael for a week when he tried to feed her. She let Fitz feed her whenever he felt the inclination to. She did it without shame, actually she did it without question.  
For the one, you’ll do anything.  
Liv ignored her sneaky voice and ate the meat Fitz had cut.  
“Please,”  
Liv responded, dunking her meat cube in the juice from the hash.  
“I knew you didn’t mean just lunch.”  
Fitz cocked his head to the side playfully.  
“And still you agreed?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.  
She rolled her eyes, again. “I guess I did.” 

xxx


End file.
